Wild Fight
by TigressDreamer
Summary: Things are heating up as Summer holds the kingdoms in its grip. Battlelines have been drawn and the fighters are thirsty for blood. Who will win the coming war? (Sequel to Wild Love. Rated for sexual conduct, both implied and slight.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer for the entire story: Sadly, I do not own Strange Magic, although I do have the DVD that I play once a week. I also do not own anything else that appears in here, not even the plot bunnies or I'd sell them and make a mint.**

**Yeah! I'm finally finished! This was definitely a wild fight!**

***facepalm* I was sure they were going to behave this time but they stole the plot away again. Here's my very very late Lughnasa/Lammas story. The plot bunnies multiplied repeatedly, so there's a ton of overkill in here. **Warning - If I wrote this right, there will be portions of creepy/spooky parts. Please don't read at night or near nightfall if you jump at shadows like I do! (Also, be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster ride.)** Constructive advice is appreciated but please refrain from criticism. Enjoy!**

**I have decided to make one more story for this storyverse. It was supposed to be Samhain/Halloween's edition but...yeah, that didn't happen. Spoiler: it has to do with the birth of the newest member of the royal families. I'll post it when I finish it, which I'm planning on starting now before I get back to Sombreville and write the last (very late) three stories of that storyverse.**

**For reference: Young Puck is roughly half the size of Movie!Imp, maybe a little bigger.**

Marianne stills her attack at the sudden commotion ringing through the Light Field palace guard training room and she turns with an amused smile to watch as Puck runs into the large stone chamber with Joshua running after him. The seven-summer-old youngster has his long furless tail wrapped securely around a pilfered pastry as he runs through and around the sparring groups of fairies, elves, and brownies in an effort to escape his pursuer. Her own sparring partner chuckles as the brownie chef catches the little male imp and proceeds to scold him for his impatience.

"Seems that it was not that long ago that Joshua was scolding two naughty fairy princesses who couldn't wait for mealtimes themselves," Dagda chuckles, handing off his training sword to a waiting attendant. "We better go save your son before my poor head chef demands an early retirement as recompense for dealing with unrepentant children."

"It's time to quit anyway," Marianne concedes, handing off her own training sword.

It's abundantly clear as they walk closer that her father was correct in his statement about Puck being unrepentant. Her adopted son is the farthest thing from even remotely resembling being repentant as he happily nibbles on the strawberry scone as the elder brownie holds him still by the nape of his neck. Marianne gives a huff of laughter before taking a deep breath and relaxing her face.

She can do this.

"Puck, are you getting into mischief again?" Marianne questions.

Puck cackles merrily and nods his head as much as he can in Joshua's grip. He trills as Marianne picks him up and he rubs his face against her neck, trilling again as she repeats the gesture with him. Any attempt to curl up against her neck is thwarted and he sighs as she holds him a little way from her.

"I thought you were helping Dawn and Sunny while I sparred with Grandpa," Marianne comments.

Puck groans and hangs his head before covering his eyes and snoring loudly. He cracks an eye open at the resulting laughter and smirks as his mother's stony face twitches with an attempt not to join the burgeoning mirth. Even Joshua isn't immune, chuckling despite his attempt to stay stern.

"That boring, was it? So, you decided to bother Joshua for sweets instead," Marianne states, getting a wide sharp-toothed smile.

"I told him five times that he had to wait until after supper for any sweets but he took one when I went to check on the soup," Joshua grumbles.

"Only five? My, my, Joshua, you're getting lenient in your old age," Marianne teases, no longer able to keep her faux sternness. "It took nine scoldings with me and Dawn before you conveniently had to do something else that left us alone with the sweets."

Marianne laughs with her father as the male brownie mutters about needing to get the evening meal ready and scurries out of the training room. It's nice to know that while most things change with the passage of time, some things do not.

Now, if only some things did change.

"I'm going to be one of those mothers who let their children get away with murder, aren't I?" Marianne sighs.

Puck's whimper knocks her out of her self-recrimination and Marianne quickly reassures him that she's not mad, letting him curl up against her neck like he wants to as they leave the training room themselves. He sighs happily and wraps his tail around her upper arm before dozing off for a small pre-dinner nap.

"You're a great mother, my dear," Dagda murmurs.

"That's what everyone says but...," Marianne starts.

"No buts!" he interrupts firmly.

"I let Puck get away with everything, though!" she finishes. "I haven't punished him once in the last three months and he's been far from innocent. If I can't even handle a child, how am I going to be able to handle an infant? Maybe I'm not cut out for motherhood."

Marianne blinks as her father only hums in contemplation before grabbing her unoccupied arm and leading her down a different corridor, away from the royal chambers. Her questions stay unanswered as her father's strong grip keeps a steady hold. Soon it becomes obvious where they are headed and Marianne allows herself to be guided without breaking the silence.

Unlike the Dark Forest where portraits of the royal bloodline were displayed in the archives, the Light Field displayed the portraits of the royal bloodline in the Royal Hall, which was a bit misnamed since it is a large chamber located at the top of the palace rather than a corridor. Marianne had spent many a rainy day wandering through the labyrinth-like chamber in her childhood, wondering about the family that had come before her as she gazed at their pictures on the many walls and studied their prized possessions that were displayed in glass cases. She had always hoped that when the time came for her to take her own place among her ancestors that she would leave behind as proud as legacy as they did.

She smirks slightly as they pass by Queen Bellflower's portrait. The brown-haired female fairy's lavender white-tipped wings were snapped open in eternal defiance, a testament to how she lived during those brutal years after the great famine. One thing Marianne is sure of, after the events of nine months ago, she definitely leaves a unique legacy, just like the first queen of her bloodline.

"You know, your mother had the same fears," Dagda mentions, disrupting her musing. "When she was pregnant with you, she was sure that she would be a terrible mother."

"What! Mom was the best!" Marianne protests.

"Yes, she is," he murmurs fondly. "But that doesn't mean she wasn't worried about a lot of things. She worried about being a good mother, about being the crown princess and being queen, and sometimes, not that often mind you, she worried that she had done the wrong thing by loving me and letting me love her in return."

"I never realized," she mumbles. "Mom always seemed so confident and happy."

Absentmindedly combing through the patch of black fur on top Puck's head, the imp sighing happily in his sleep, Marianne looks up at the portrait her father stops in front of. It was a portrait that she had spent long hours staring at since it was added to the Royal Hall thirteen summers ago.

Queen Theresa was a beautiful and elegant fairy. Her blonde hair was very long and usually constrained, though Marianne remembered several times where she had let her hair flow free. Her wings were a stunning shade of various blues with tiny blue spots speckled around that were so light that they looked white. Dawn inherited the same blue eyes but unlike Dawn, their mother's wide blue eyes held mischief swimming in their depths and even her most innocent smile portrayed cunning. There was no doubt that Marianne was her daughter.

"She was confident and happy, never doubt that, but your mother...she, well," Dagda starts before sighing. "It'll probably make more sense if I told you that your mother is a lot older than me, already an adult when I was born."

"Seriously?" Marianne mutters in shock. "She looked so young, though. I always thought she was younger than you."

"Are you saying I look old?" Dagda asks.

"Well," Marianne drawls with a smirk, leaning over to give her affronted father a kiss on his bearded cheek. "You look distinguished like Grandpa."


	2. Chapter 2

Marianne sighs in contentment as she eases herself into the washing basin. The warm water feels so delightful to her aching muscles and she's glad the pixies thought to add bathing salts. She hated the thought that the healers might be right about her having to refrain from fighting until after the infant is born but there's no denying that even a simple spar against her father had left her tired.

Of course, her tiredness might be more from the emotional talk afterward that inevitably ended with reliving both fond and painful times. No matter how many years had passed, talking about her mother always left her feeling hollow because it always brought to mind the last memories Marianne has of her. She doesn't know how her father managed to still be able to smile after watching his love die in his arms like that but by the spirits, she hoped that she never has to learn to be that strong.

Grunting softly at the pain resonating in her heart at the thought of losing Bog, Marianne closes her eyes with a sigh and leans back against the washing basin's side.

"Hey, Marianne," Dawn calls as she enters the royal washing chambers.

"Hey, Dawn," Marianne responds, grateful for the interruption but not bothering to open her eyes. "How did you and Sunny do with the last minute preparations?"

"We did pretty well...I think," Dawn mutters. "I mean, there were only a few things left to handle and they weren't too bad to deal with, so I'm pretty sure no one will have a problem with how we handled it. There was a bit of a problem with..."

Sighing again as Dawn continues to ramble, Marianne finally looks over to her pacing sister being chased by her pixie handmaidens. She snickers as Mistletoe manages to wrestle off one of Dawn's fingerless gloves and Dewdrop grabs the other before both are sent flying away by the fairy princess' animated gestures. Rose and Violet look on worriedly as Wysteria tries and fails to get ahold of the laces to Dawn's dress.

"You better go help them, girls," Marianne murmurs in amusement. "Or we'll be late for supper."

Her handmaidens giggle as they set down the bathing oils on a nearby ledge before flying off the help their kin. In no time at all, the five pixies manage to remove Dawn's clothes and coax her into another prepared washing basin.

"...but that isn't the worst of it! There's also...," Dawn groans.

"You're probably worrying over nothing," Marianne interrupts. "I'm sure everything is fine."

"You think so?" Dawn questions.

"Know so," Marianne counters. "You and Sunny are stepping into your responsibilities nicely. Even Dad said so."

"He did? That's great!" Dawn cheers, accidentally splashing the hovering pixies in her excitement. "Poor Sunny has been so worried!"

Marianne snorts and rolls her eyes before grabbing the lavender oil and working it into a sponge. It wasn't Sunny that's been worried. Overwhelmed, yes, but not worried. It was more of a shock for the male elf to go from being the princess' best friend to being the princess' intended than it was to go from being the youngest child of Bulrush Stream's dragonfly breeder to preparing to be the Prince of the Light Field. If anything, Sunny was adjusting better to all the protocols and responsibilities than Dawn was.

Dawn, who was so excited to reach the age to accept courting attempts, had completely forgotten everything that also came with her reaching adulthood. Gone were the days where she was free from the obligations she was born with and no longer could she gleefully ignore boring council meetings. The younger princess of the Light Field had new responsibilities to occupy her time than swooning over boys.

Not that she didn't still swoon over one in particular.

"Just think, in two days I'll be married to the most perfect male ever," Dawn sighs dreamily before growling. "Of course, if it wasn't for Plum, we'd be married already. I still can't believe she threatened to put a sleeping spell on my firstborn!"

All five pixies echo Marianne's sigh and exasperated head shake at the extremely familiar complaint. Even living in the Dark Forest castle didn't keep Marianne safe from her little sister's absolute distaste for having to wait an entire three months before being allowed to marry her best friend and at this point, nearly every goblin that worked or lived in the castle disappeared the moment the sentient mushrooms reported the fairy princess' approach. Even her faithful, adoring, and fearless husband discovers a very important royal duty that he has to perform during the entire visit, usually with their son joining him.

"We've talked about this before, Dawn," Marianne groans. "Repeatedly."

"It's still not fair," Dawn remarks, grabbing the cherry blossom oil. "You got married right after you met Bog but Sunny and I have known each other since I was five and we have to wait!"

"Bog and I didn't have a choice, remember? And we went through a lot of trouble that probably would have been avoided if we had been able to court," Marianne comments. "Considering what's been going on for the last three months, do you seriously think that you two being married would have helped?"

Marianne smirks as Dawn's ire deflates and she returns to her own bathing, rubbing the lathered sponge across her slightly enlarged stomach. The infant responds to the stimulation by moving, sending shivers through her frame and causing her purple black-tipped wings to flutter. She doesn't notice as her smirk fades into a soft smile as she rubs her soapy stomach or as the pixies coo at her peaceful expression.

Griselda and Junco were positive that she was almost at the halfway mark of her pregnancy and would give birth in another nine or ten months. Marianne figured the elder females were probably correct in their assessment with how active the unborn halfling had gotten in the past two weeks.

"Okay, fine, you're probably right," Dawn mutters after awhile. "But I still don't see why Daddy wouldn't even let us fool around a little. We are getting married, after all."

"Royal rules and you know it," Marianne chuckles before smirking deviously. "But then again, maybe Dad should've bent the rules a little. After all, Sunny is going to die before you two manage to consummate your marriage anyway."

"Marianne! That's not funny!" Dawn whines loudly.

Dawn grabs the full water bucket beside her washing basin and throws the contents into her cackling sister's direction. Her aim is true, though it's clear she didn't think the consequences out fully as she "eeps" before ducking down into the warm water at the glaring amber eyes directed at her once Marianne wipes back her soggy shaded brown hair. Any retaliation on the elder fairy's part is aborted as Ivy flies into the bathing chamber with a groggy Puck trailing after on all fours.

"Have a good nap, Puck?" Marianne asks as he approaches her.

Marianne ignores the awwing from her sister as Puck nods before yawning and holding up his arms to her. She was wrong when she told Bog that the only thing the imps probably stole was food. They stole hearts too and her son is a shameless thief.

Any remaining sleepiness is quickly banished as Marianne picks Puck up and slowly dips him into the soapy warm water. Her heart pangs at the wide black eyes staring up at her in apprehension as more and more of the little furred body becomes saturated. Stopping just as the water reaches above her hands under his arms, Marianne cuddles him to her and cups water in her free hand to wet his head and ears, wincing a little as claws pinch her skin.

Three months wasn't nearly enough time to heal the poor child of all the trauma he had suffered. It had taken a long time before he would get something to eat for himself and not screech in a panic if someone saw him. Longer still was trying to get him to accept his own bed in the royal nursery and not panic if either Marianne or Bog weren't in sight.

Bathtime came with an especially hard time. The first time Marianne had tried to give him a bath, Puck had howled and sobbed as if she was trying to kill him and she hadn't been able to finish before wrapping him in her embrace to soothe him. A quick trip to Plum's residence at the sprite colony had given them uneasy news. Not only was there the lingering horror of seeing some of his kin, one being his elder sister, drowned by cruel Breezy Meadow denizens but the youngster had never had a proper bath in his life. They had eventually been able to get Puck to realize that they weren't trying to harm him but he still refused a bath if Marianne wasn't bathing with him.

Soon the tense body clinging to Marianne's chest relaxes as she continues her gentle ministrations and a purr vibrates against her as she lathers lily oil into Puck's fur.

"Who would have thought that the wild and chaotic Marianne would be such a softie?" Dawn teases.

"Hey, there's no need for insults," Marianne huffs playfully. "I'm not a softie."

"Yeah, you're right. Boggy is the softie," Dawn quips, giggling with the pixies and ignoring her sister's correction of Bog's name. "Speaking of my big brother-in-law, is he going to be able to make it for the ceremony in the morning?"

"Probably not," Marianne answers. "With the Mid-Summer Wild Hunt being tonight, he's going to be exhausted in the morning and most likely won't show up here until mid-day. It's why he thought it would be better for me, Puck, Rose, Ivy, and Violet to stay here tonight, so we won't miss the start of Lammas."

"So, it's not about keeping you from causing any trouble during this hunt?" Dawn teases.

"Of course it is," Marianne chuckles. "But the rain tonight and the Sunrise Memorial tomorrow make good excuses to keep me indoors."


	3. Chapter 3

"Well done, Dawn," Dagda murmurs as Dawn returns to Marianne's side.

"Thanks, Daddy, but I still think Marianne should have done it," Dawn whispers back. "She is the crown princess, after all."

"I officiated the Sunrise Memorial my first year of adulthood and this year is your turn," Marianne replies. "Besides, Mom would be proud of how you handled it."

"Really?" Dawn questions hopefully.

Marianne gives her a soft smile and nods before turning her attention back to the waiting pile of sticks. The royals watch solemnly as a small procession of fairies, elves, brownies, sprites, and pixies come forward to place wreaths of flowers and dried grass on the pile before going back to their families. Puck whines as the aged fairy king walks forward with a lit torch before pausing to look back at him.

"Aren't you going to place your memorial on the pyre, too?" Marianne asks.

Puck whimpers and lays his long ears backward as he hugs his own wreath of white flowers and dried grass to him. Her heart pangs at his heartbroken reluctance. She knows the pain the Sunrise Memorial could bring when you weren't ready to let your loved one go. It just seems so permanent to watch the fire consume the memorials, as if those that died are now forever out of your life.

She can still remember how reluctant she was to let go of the memorial wreath she and Dawn had painstakingly made for their mother. It had almost felt like she died all over again.

"It's not like you're saying goodbye to them forever, Puck," Marianne murmurs, remembering her grandfather's words. "They'll always be here in your heart."

Puck chirps and shakes his head at her offer to go with him before jumping out of her arms and walking toward the pyre. He sniffles as he un-crinkles the large wreath representing his murdered clan but shrieks as one of the flowers fall to the ground.

"It's alright," Dagda reassures, leaning down to pet the distressed imp.

Marianne can't hold back her tears as her son places the many-flowered wreath on the pyre before picking up the fallen flower, giving it a kiss and putting the pink flower back into place on his wreath. Her arms are quickly filled with the teary-eyed white-furred child and she hugs him to her as her father lights the pyre as the sun breaks over the horizon. The special ceremony is made even more magical by the presence of a light morning fog and the fiery ashes of the consumed wreaths fly through the misty air like fireflies before burning out.

With her eyes on the unique spectacle, Marianne nearly yelps as a clawed hand joins hers in comforting Puck and she turns surprised amber eyes toward her husband.

"Bog! I didn't expect you for another few hours," Marianne murmurs.

"The hunt finished a few hours ago, so I came when the ceremony started but...well," Bog starts.

"You wouldn't have been disturbing anyone," Marianne assures.

"I know. But it's just that I feel partly responsible," Bog mutters, nodding toward a certain family of fairies.

Marianne sighs heavily and flutters her wings in an attempt to release her tension. She knows what Bog is feeling all too well. She felt it herself as she watched the group approach with a large number of memorials to place on the pyre and she couldn't help the thoughts that made her wonder what she could have done differently to prevent their pain. They were the same thoughts that have haunted her since the scouts they sent to the Breezy Meadow returned last month.

Not only did they not find any other imps hiding like Puck had done, as they were hoping, but they also brought back sorrowful news. King Vincent had dealt with the threats to his royal bloodline swiftly and without mercy, measuring out his kingdom's highest punishment to all involved in the 'Love Potion plot'. From Vesper herself to the conspirators to the trading merchants that purchased the cursed potion, no one escaped the executioner's block. The scouts were able to protect Rowena and Rowan but the other former Light Field citizens did not fair so lucky.

As the gathered creatures start dispersing to return to their villages to change out of their formal wear, Marianne glances at the ten-spring-old blonde fairy twins and gives another sigh as their aunt ushers them away from the dwindling pyre to return to Clover Green.

"You're forgetting what the Sunrise Memorial represents, Marianne," Dagda chides as he approaches.

"I thought it was just about honoring those that died since you last celebrated Lammas," Bog comments.

"It's also about letting go of regrets and ill feelings," Dagda explains. "There's nothing anyone of us could have done to prevent what happened. Roland betrayed us of his own free will and his kin that joined him in his treachery, chose freely as well."

"You know me too well," Marianne groans.

"You're too much like me and I've had my own lingering thoughts to deal with," Dagda admits, kissing her on the forehead below her jeweled wooden crown. "Everyone has situations where they second guess their actions but a ruler has it far worse because of how many people are affected by them. No matter how much you think it through before a decision or decree, you will wonder what would have happened had you done one thing differently. That's why it's so important to let go. What's done is done and the only thing you can do is learn from it."


	4. Chapter 4

Bog smiles slightly at his father-in-law's advice. His own father had said something similar when Bog was getting ready to face the trials that proved his right to the crown of the Dark Forest. Of course, his advice was more of making sure his son understood the responsibilities and the pressures of being a ruling royal. That the crown was heavy upon the heart, though light upon the head.

It had only taken until the next autumn that he realized how true his father's words were.

"Now, no more sorrowing about things that cannot be changed," Dagda orders, disrupting Bog's dark thoughts. "It's time for Lammas! Let's get out of these stuffy clothes and enjoy the festivities."

Puck squeaks happily and jumps out of Marianne's arms before eagerly undoing the brown laces around the white stone buttons on the front of his dark green sleeveless tunic. The gold thread decorating the fabric gleams in the morning sun as the little imp throws the offending attire high into the air, only to be caught by Marianne's pixie handmaidens.

Bog laughs with the others as indignant chirps fill the air as the rest of the pixie royal handmaidens swarm to lecture Puck for the mistreatment of his formal wear but he pays them no mind as he reaches up to remove the thick golden jeweled band around his neck. Rose, Ivy, and Violet gasp in horror and abandon their folding of the discarded tunic to rescue the intricately carved necklace from their youngest charge's claws. They quickly help remove the band and soothe the adopted royal as he ruffles through his fur that's been released from confinement.

"He may not be your blood-son, Marianne, but he sure takes after your distaste of wearing the royal emblem," Dawn chuckles.

"Considering he only does this when he's wearing his formal wear and not a regular tunic, you might be right," Marianne comments, accepting the tunic and necklace from the pixies as Bog picks up their son. "Alright, girls, off you go. You're supposed to be with your families for the next three days."

Shaking his head with feigned annoyance, Bog accepts Rose, Ivy, and Violet's fussing before they fly off to join their brethren heading toward one of the large oak trees in the kingdom. Ever since they met him after waking from hibernation, the trio had made it their life's ambition to dote on him as much as they did Marianne. Even the addition of Puck didn't slow their affections as they turned their attention on the young one as well. If anything, Bog swears that they've started cooing over him more since his and Marianne's announcement of adopting Puck as one of their own.

It's not that they made their decision to get praised for it but it felt good to have everyone's approval. It had felt even better as they watched the little imp overcome the trauma he had suffered and started living life with all the enthusiasm that a young one should have.

"So how did the Mid-Summer Wild Hunt go, Bog?" Sunny questions from his dragonfly mount as they head toward the Light Field palace.

"Very well," Bog answers. "We had six pairs for this mateship hunt and they all caught something fairly early in the night. No one wasted time to...uh...to celebrate their successful hunt because of the rain, so the hunt ended several hours before sunrise."

"Well, since you're here earlier than expected, what do you say about meeting Caphtor and Blossom before the festival starts?" Dagda asks.

Bog gives his agreement before splitting from the group to follow after his mate as she flies through the balcony windows into her old bedchambers. After returning Puck's face rub against his neck, Bog lets him jump out of his arm to repeat the gesture of affection with Marianne before scampering out the door and down the stone corridors.

No doubt on his way to get something sweet from the kitchens.

"Should we be worried over how much our chefs spoil him?" Bog questions with a chuckle.

"Shouldn't you be more worried over how much your mother spoils him?" Marianne counters with amusement.

Bog cackles at that. It was true. Griselda had started doting on Puck as soon as the young one started relaxing around his new home and was fully confident that he wouldn't be rejected by his new parents. She had even commissioned Puck's royal necklace days after Beltane, stating mother's intuition as her reason when she presented the finished piece after the official adoption. The clever female had the craftsmen combine the two kingdoms' customs like they did with Marianne's crown, going with the Dark Forest custom of necklaces for young royals and using gold as with the Light Field custom, adorned with both the white sparkling jewel of the Light Field and the white stone of the Dark Forest to signify his princely place in both royal families.

He didn't doubt that his mother probably has the infant's own royal emblem already commissioned.

Speaking of.

Bog gives a lingering and heated look toward his mate as she removes her gold-embroidered purple shift dress after placing her royal sword and Puck's formal wear on the small traveling chest. He quickly bolts the lock on the door before setting his royal scepter against the vanity and sidles up behind her to wrap his arms around her to rest on her enlarged stomach. Her wings fluttering against his carapace sets his own wings to flickering and he pulls her tighter against his front.

"I missed you," Bog groans before placing a searing kiss on her exposed shoulder.

"Missed you, too," Marianne moans.

"I couldn't even sleep when the hunting party returned to the castle," he admits. "It felt so empty without you or our son or even those three annoying pests."

"You love them. Don't try to deny i...Oh, Bog!" she cries out as a clawed hand leaves her stomach to grab her breast. "Can't, Bog. We...we...have to..."

"We have time," Bog soothes, using his other hand to pry her gold-veined black leggings away from her hips. "Need you so badly."

"We're not...not in the Dark For...the balcony...someone might...," Marianne starts before whimpering, his talented fingers derailing her thoughts and half-hearted attempts at being sensible.

Bog groans as his mate reaches one hand back to pull him down to her ravenous mouth while her other hand reaches back to claw at his spine, sending pulses of lightning through his entire being and ruining any half-formed idea of taking it slow. He'll swear later that it was not his intention to couple as soon as he reunited with Marianne.

But for spirit's sake, who could blame him?

Neither Leannan Sith or Baobhan Sith could be half as irresistible or as beautiful as his fairy mate. She was a temptress since the second they met that fated night nine months ago, igniting a fire within his blood with her fierceness and enchanting him with her alluring figure. Then, just when he's sure that she can't get any more desirable than she already is, her stomach and nursing breasts started enlarging to accommodate her approaching motherhood.

She's magnificent!

And by some miracle she chose to share her magnificence with him, choosing to bear his weight, ordering him even as he surrounds her with his larger stature and forcing her to lean over onto the vanity table as he obeys her heated commands. The frantic beat of her wings against his chest fills him with male pride at delivering her so much pleasure and his own pleasure soars higher as he gazes into the vanity mirror to see scorching amber eyes staring back into his blazing blues.

A sultry smirk is his only warning and he's undone within seconds as a talented hand claws at his spine a second time. The conqueror is conquered as well and he wouldn't have it any other way as their pleasure becomes one.

His limbs quiver at the strain but Bog ignores them as he keeps Marianne's quivering form against his as they lean over the vanity in an attempt to catch their racing breaths. Looking back into the mirror doesn't help any as the fire within his blood boils hotly at the sight of her enlarged stomach carrying his unborn infant and he groans at the pang of desire flooding him.

He had never understood why some males would pounce repeatedly on their pregnant mates and couple frantically despite there being no need to keep releasing his seed into her but now he knows. There couldn't be a better aphrodisiac than knowing your mate is carrying your offspring. Couldn't be anything more attractive than seeing her grow plump with pregnancy. Couldn't be anything more soul-shattering than realizing that she's giving you such a precious gift.

"Impatient," Marianne chuckles breathlessly after several minutes.

"Can't help myself," Bog murmurs. "By the spirits, I love you!"

"And I love you," she purrs back. "Although, couldn't you have at least shut the balcony doors. We are in a kingdom with a lot of fliers, remember?"

"Afraid someone enjoyed the show, Your Majesty?" he chuckles.

"Goblins are shameless," Marianne mutters.

"Hypocrite," Bog chides softly, nipping her shoulder and smirking at her whimpered moan. "Besides, no one..."

Bog trails off as a spark of light catches his attention and he turns his head quickly toward the balcony windows with a snarl on his lips while using the rest of his body to shield Marianne from view. For all a goblin's shamelessness when coupling, no male goblin permitted another to see his female while she was vulnerable and only danger awaited those that saw what they should not see.

He ignores Marianne's questioning as he scans the open area and he breathes deeply to scent if someone was nearby. Huffing slightly, Bog eases himself off of his mate and allows her to stand.

It must have been a trick of the sun.


	5. Chapter 5

Despite a small level of panic when a raven was spotted flying in the kingdom, which had quieted down when the sentries confirmed that the predatory bird was only passing through without stopping to rest, everything had been going well. Dawn and Sunny had been consumed with restless energy as they, she, complained about the sedate pace the fairy king had set and took off to the harvested barley field to wait with the gathered crowd as the last pieces of the Lammas Festival were set up.

Even his introductions to the sprite colony's chiefs had gone well. Except for a mild bout of showing off as Chief Caphtor flashed his three pairs of gold-tipped translucent wings and Bog hadn't been able to resist flashing his own two pairs of transparent wings at just the right angle to catch the morning light. Dagda had only laughed at the elder male's pouting at the murmurs of appreciation the younger male had gotten with the shimmering display, gloating that Chief Caphtor's vain had finally met its match.

Yes, everything had been going well.

Until the elder sprites had noticed goblins mixing into the gathered crowds and Marianne revealed that a lot of their Dark Forest subjects were going to join those in the Light Field for the first two days of Lammas.

On the one hand, it seems ridiculous that they would have an objection to some goblins joining the celebrations. The sprites that had come to the market in Lizzie's Haven had all been welcoming to the goblins that bought and sold wares there. On the other hand, though, he can understand if they aren't quite ready to include their closest allies' former enemies in their shared festivities. So few sprites ever leave their treetop villages and the market had been the only source of interaction between them since the colony's emerging from their winter tunnels nearly four months earlier. Bog himself had only interacted a little with the sprites because of his duties acting as both King of the Dark Forest and Crown Prince of the Light Field.

Not realizing that he had tensed at the look of alarm on both sprites' face, Bog forces himself to relax when Marianne lays a calming hand on his arm. Right. He doesn't know the pair well enough to guess their thoughts, so he shouldn't make assumptions.

But it's kind of hard not to as the pair exchange looks.

"Do you really think that's a good idea, Marianne? Not that I'm saying that there is something wrong with having the goblins celebrating our festivals!" Chief Blossom assures hastily, her three pairs of opaque pink wings fluttering rapidly. "But Lammas..."

"Do any of the sprites or pixies have objections?" Marianne asks.

"No, no, no! It's not that at all," Chief Blossom denies. "Everyone is looking forward to meeting more of the Dark Forest residents. It's just that...well..."

"What my partner is trying to say is that Lammas might be unintentionally offensive to the goblins and we wouldn't want to offend our new allies," Chief Caphtor murmurs, nodding toward Bog.

"Your concern is appreciated," Bog comments, returning the sprite chief's nod. "Be assured, Marianne has made sure that every goblin that is planning to attend the festival is aware of the customs surrounding Lammas."

"I've also told them that they should just observe Lammas this year and not participate in the events," Marianne adds. "With this being the first time they've seen one of our festivals, it would put them at a disadvantage and possibly ruin their enjoyment."

"So, they do know about the tales that will be told?" Chief Caphtor questions.

"Yes. I didn't elaborate on the tales but I did tell them that it is customary for the history of the kingdom to be told in various ways on the first day of Lammas," Marianne assures. "In fact, most of the elders are looking forward to hearing all the tales surrounding the Wild Hunt and goblins."

"No doubt in an attempt to impress the young ones with the exaggerated tales of their ferociousness during their youth," Bog chuckles

"No mocking the aged, son," Dagda mutters.

"I remember King Elatha giving the same rebuke quite a number of summers ago. Turning into your father, are you, Dagda?" Chief Blossom giggles.

"Oh, spirits, no!" Dagda groans in dismay, covering his face with a bare hand. "Marianne said the same thing last night!"

"It's not that bad, Dad," Marianne chuckles, clutching onto the long sleeve of his green and gold tunic. "At least you can still fly...somewhat."

Bog tries to smother his laughter as the elder king glares at his daughter. It's a lost cause and he holds his hands up in surrender when the glare is turned his way.

He could only thank the spirits that none of the ancestors in his bloodline had gained much weight as they grew older and that the goblin blood had kept their wings flying longer than any elder fairy would be able to. Even before his father's death, the elder goblin had still been as strong a flier as his sons.


	6. Chapter 6

"Romeo, O Romeo! Wherefore art thou, my dearest Romeo?" Dawn sighs lovingly, perched on top of a stone. "My wait is long, the moon dost rise, bid me not to tary the night."

"Here I am, my sweetest Juliet!" Sunny calls, walking toward the stone. "Wait no more for I bring glad tidings!"

"Glad tidings, O Romeo?" Dawn repeats. "What news dost thou bring that brightens thy countenance more than the fair sun? Speak, my love, my heart yearns for thou blessed voice."

"I spake to thy father and elder brother. Tomorrow we shall wed, thou and I!" Sunny announces happily. "Come moonrise, my bride and queen thou'll be, O fairest Juliet!"

"I don't get it," Thang murmurs to Stuff, his eyes not leaving the stage. "I thought this was a tale of how the Fairy Kingdom and the Elf Kingdom became united."

"It is," Stuff mutters back, munching on popcorn as the scene ends and the curtain closes. "King Romeo of the Elf Kingdom mated Princess Juliet of the Fairy Kingdom, combining the kingdoms just like BK and Marianne."

"But it doesn't make any sense," Thang whines. "Princess Juliet wasn't even the heir, so her mateship to King Romeo wouldn't combine the kingdoms."

"Maybe Crown Prince Capulet dies or something, leaving Princess Juliet as the heir," Stuff suggests.

Griselda winces as Thang agrees with Stuff's guess and a quick look at the entranced goblins surrounding her in the amphitheater makes her cringe even more. Maybe they should have spoiled this particular tale's ending before those ignorant of the whole story fell in love with Romeo and Juliet because of Sunny and Dawn's acting skills.

This isn't going to go well. And from the wince on Marianne's face, it's clear she's thinking the same thing.

"A fairy for queen? Nay, say I, Romeo!" Aver growls, after the curtain rises. "She sails upon the bosom of the air, while thou are laden to the earth, surely such cannot be trusted, her heart will not remain."

"Cease thy rage, beloved Montague, my kin, my blood," Sunny pleads. "Sweet Juliet is not capricious, loyal and loving, is she! Come, brother of my father, accept thy niece and queen-to-be."

"Nay, say I!" Aver denies, storming off stage.

"Such pains my love brings but my heart will not be changed! Tis Juliet I love and to Juliet I remain!" Sunny vows toward the departing elder elf before turning his attention to the other elf actors. "What say thou, beloved Mercutio? Dost thou sharest our uncle's rage?"

"A fool thou be, beloved Romeo, but nay I sharest not our uncle's rage," Pare sighs. "I believe thy words of love not fickle but I warn thou not to let thy bride fly free. The winds blow strong and night will fall."

"Defend thy words or defend thy life!" Sunny growls, grabbing his sword hilt.

"Take not the words in anger, beloved Romeo," Dorn murmurs, placing a calming hand on the shorter elf's shoulder. "Beloved Mercutio means no harm. Surely thou knowest many will protest now thy secret courtship is brought to fruition and dawn brings thy wedding day."

"And thou, beloved Benvolio, dost thou protest like thy father?" Sunny asks.

"Nay, nay, a thousand times nay! Thou knowest my heart was knit to thine when thou first saw thy fair Juliet," Dorn remarks. "We fear blood will be let, so keep thy sword belted and keep thy fairy maid close."

"Darkness draws nigh, though the sun shortly rises. Let us depart and let slumber refresh us," Pare suggests.

Griselda sighs softly as the scene changes to Romeo and Juliet's wedding ceremony in the Elf Kingdom, far different than the mating ceremonies they have in the Dark Forest but no less lovely. She's so glad that Sunny and Dawn invited her to their wedding ceremony the day after tomorrow. No doubt the blonde fairy princess will look even more beautiful when she says the acceptance vows for real.

"Why are they going through the ceremony twice?" Thang questions.

"It's like the narrator explained, the first time is in the Elf Kingdom because King Romeo holds a higher rank than Princess Juliet and the second time is in the Fairy Kingdom to prove that that kingdom agrees with the union," Stuff sighs.

"But then why didn't those in the Fairy Kingdom just attend the first ceremony? Look, see, it's all different, too," Thang comments, pointing at the stage as the scene changes to the Fairy Kingdom.

"That's because both kingdoms had different customs and they felt that if they only married in the one kingdom, the other kingdom would not recognize their union," Marianne explains softly.

"But His Majesty and you only used the Dark Forest's custom, Your Majesty," Thang points out. "Does that mean that the Light Field does not recognize your union?"

If she wasn't shocked herself, Griselda would laugh as Thang blushes and shrinks under the attention as every goblin, elf, fairy, sprite, and pixie that had heard that question turns their stunned attention to the little goblin. Not only was the observation true but Bog and Marianne didn't even have a traditional union by Dark Forest custom at first. What with the necessity and all.

"That's not...I mean, it's different, we're different," Marianne murmurs, glancing at the stage quickly. "Our union is recognized by the Light Field and everyone in it."

"Thang does have a point, though," Bog muses. "We did finally honor the Dark Forest custom during Beltane but we haven't honored the Light Field customs."

"We...," Marianne starts.

"Discuss it later. The final act is starting," Dagda whispers, nodding to the rising stage curtain.

"And so, they were wed, Juliet and her Romeo," the unseen male narrator cites as Sunny and Dawn move around on stage. "Both kingdoms could not deny that their love was more radiant than the summer's sun and had sent many blessings as the couple retired to their marriage chambers. Complacent in their married bliss, they began to eat their supper brought by a maid."

"Desist, I say!" Pare yells as he and Dorn rush onto the stage.

"I demand that thou explains the meaning of thy intrusion! How dare thou disturb the sacred union!" Sunny growls, standing to meet them before stumbling.

"Dear sweet Romeo, what ails thou so?" Dawn cries.

"I beg thee, beloved Romeo, tell us thou hast not drunk the wine," Pare moans as Sunny falls to the ground.

"Alas, we are too late! Beloved Romeo has met his fate!" Dorn wails, covering the fallen elf with a sheet. "Curse thou, father of mine, that thou wouldst poison the marriage wine!"

"Romeo, Romeo, thou cannot leave me so!" Dawn sobs, grabbing the goblet of wine. "Death, o faithful friend, part me not from my lord and lover."

"Desist, fair Juliet, take not the poison into thy bosom!" Dorn cries before wailing and covering the fairy with a sheet after she falls onto the covered elf. "Alas, alas, such a sorrowful night! Let not the sun rise nor the moon give its light, for beloved Romeo and fair Juliet have lost their lives!"

Any other words are overshadowed as the gathered goblins howl in misery and sob loudly, even Griselda can't contain her tears at the tragic scene and she gladly accepts a tissue from a teary-eyed Marianne. Even knowing the story beforehand doesn't make it any less painful and she's only too glad that Marianne had told her it months ago during one of their goblin history lessons. Otherwise, she'd probably be sobbing as loudly as Thang from his place in a sniffling Stuff's arms.

The play is placed on a small intermission until the goblins manage to calm themselves but the tears are brought back with a renewed force as the narrator explains the explosive aftermath of the lover's tragic death as even the innocent Mercutio and Benvolio are killed by the enraged elf peasants in their uprising. Their vengeance for the murder of their beloved king had wiped out the entire royal bloodline, which led to the Elf Kingdom's assimilation into the Fairy Kingdom by the royal law of the nearest kin receiving the crown, giving the throne to Crown Prince Capulet.


	7. Chapter 7

Marianne sighs as she stretches her naked form against the moss. She had no desire to bother dressing at the moment, especially with how nice the cool blanket felt against her heated skin. Groaning, she turns onto her side and lets her wings fan out behind her.

What a long day!

The sound of the bedchamber door opening causes her to open an eye and she smiles tiredly at her husband. If she only had the strength, she would laugh at his obvious startlement, his wings flickering rapidly and sending flashes of color throughout the room thanks to the bright moonlight filtering in from the window.

"Why aren't you dressed?" Bog questions, quickly closing the door behind him.

"Tired and don't want to," Marianne mutters.

"Oh, and here I thought it was an invitation," he chuckles.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid. I can't bel...," she starts before a large yawn interrupts her. "...ieve how exhausted I feel. I didn't even do much today, either."

"Yes, you did," Bog counters, combing his clawed fingers through her shaded brown hair. "Not only did you wake early for the Sunrise Memorial but you had a full day of being surrounded by nearly every subject in both kingdoms."

"Yeah, but I didn't participate in any of the games once the storytelling was done," Marianne points out. "Did Puck get to sleep alright?"

"He was already asleep by the time I entered the nursery, didn't even stir once I placed him on his bed except to grab Goodfellow after I removed it from the traveling chest," he murmurs. "Our son tuckered himself out with all the excitement of the festival. That or by the number of sweets that he ate."

Marianne chuckles at that before moaning as Bog's talented fingers move from their position in her hair, rubbing deep circles in her neck and down to her shoulders. She sighs in relief as he moves her wings out of the way for him to sit down behind her to allow his other hand to join in rubbing her back and between her wing joints. Slowly her thoughtful husband eases out the tension that had built up all day and she doesn't notice her almost sleeping state until a timid knock raps against the door.

"Who is it?" Bog growls.

"Sorry to disturb you, Your Majesties, but can I talk to you?" Thang asks nervously.

Shushing Bog's attempted rebuke, Marianne grabs the moss blanket and covers her exposed state before bidding Thang to enter. The little male goblin takes a look at the royal couple before whimpering his apologies again and lowers his gaze to the floor.

"It's alright," Marianne assures. "I know you wouldn't have disturbed us this late at night if it wasn't important. Now, what's bothering you?"

"It's just that I keep thinking about the tale of King Romeo and Princess Juliet and how King Romeo's kin killed them because he mated a fairy when he was an elf. Then the tale of Queen Bellflower and how after her rule was established during the time of the Topaz King, they killed her peasant mate and their young before forcing her to mate a noble-fairy," Thang murmurs, his hands crinkling the festival boutonniere he had bought. "Both times they used poison and we goblins don't do that. I mean, sure, we have had murdered royals before but not like that! Even with Prince Fen's death, it wasn't done so vilely. I mean, it was vile but still..."

"Thang," Marianne interrupts, trying not to laugh as the male startles from his rambling. "What's bothering you?"

"Aren't you and Sire and Princess Dawn and Prince Sunny in danger?" Thang questions. "I mean, not only are you and Princess Dawn mated to a goblin and an elf but we used to be enemies and Prince Sunny was a peasant."

If it wasn't for the sheer amount of worry and fear on Thang's face, coupled with feeling Bog's stiffened form, Marianne would have laughed at the question but she quickly smothers her humor. She didn't want either to think she was belittling the goblin's worries. It's obviously something that was disturbing him and she would take the matter seriously.

"There's no danger," she quickly reassures both males. "Those are all old stories. Taking place many, many kings ago."

"Not the one about Prince Hamlet and Prince Claudius, that was only four kings ago, and they were both poisoned, too!" Thang points out.

"That was a whole different mess," Marianne remarks. "They were rival brothers who hated each other because they loved the same female."

"Also, they poisoned themselves while trying to poison the other, so I think it's safe to say that it's better that neither sired any young," Bog mutters.

Covering her mouth to muffle her own laughter, Marianne does manage to hear another set of chuckling besides the visible Thang. She had thought it strange that the male was without Stuff shadowing nearby as the female usually does but apparently Stuff's self-preservation instincts kicked in again, using Thang as a shield to the royals' possible wrath for being disturbed this late at night.

"Anyway, as I was saying," Marianne comments after her laughter ceases. "Those in the Light Field aren't that against interracial or interclass relationships anymore. Sure, we got a few families that might have some problem with the bloodline mixing, just like how some families in the Dark Forest look down on halfling-bloods, but it never rises to a loss of respect. Those who had true problems with it either died out or moved to another kingdom."

"But there aren't that many halfling-bloods in the Light Field," Thang mentions.

"There's quite a few actually," she corrects. "I know you're familiar with Pare because of his shop in Lizzie's Haven but you would never have guessed that his father was a fairy, would you?"

"Really? He looks like a pureblood elf to me. I guess it's like how with some goblins you can't even tell that they come from a halfling-blood family," Thang comments. "So, you're sure there isn't any danger?"

"Positive," Marianne states. "If any of those old bigots were still around they would have had a problem with my dad marrying my mother. She was not only a peasant but she wasn't even native to the Light Fields. No one had a problem then and no one has a problem now."

"That's good. We...I mean, I! I was really worried," Thang corrects at a cough from the other side of the door. "Goodnight, Your Majesties!"


	8. Chapter 8

Bog sighs as he feels his mate shift for what must have been the thousandth time. He knew she wasn't sleeping, despite how exhausted she was earlier.

"If you're going to stay awake then you might as well settle whatever is bothering you," he mutters sleepily.

"Oh, Bog, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you awake," Marianne murmurs.

"You're not. You're keeping yourself awake and I'd be an irresponsible mate to let your needs be unmet," Bog remarks, pulling himself up to lean over her side.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful your eyes are, especially how they light up with the moonlight? They're like pools of the purest water in a cave of crystal," she hums.

"They're nothing compared to yours. Even the royal amber is dull compared to the liquid fire that reflects your fierce and wild heart," he comments. "Now, are you going to tell me what is bothering you enough to keep you awake?"

"Just can't stop thinking about what Thang and Stuff were worried about," Marianne admits. "Or more like, what Thang was worried about since Stuff knew that no one would be able to kill us."

He chuckles at the reminder of the female goblin's insistence that she was not worried when Thang had returned to her side. It's a miracle his mother wasn't awoken by their bickering as they walked down the corridor.

"You still don't think there's a chance of danger, do you?" Bog asks.

"No. I mean, yes. I mean there isn't any danger of some Light Field subject poisoning us or Sunny and Dawn!" Marianne manages before sighing. "It's just that they aren't the only ones worried about such things. There was some talk back in the Light Field and I had kind of forgotten about it until now."

"Talk? When?" he questions.

"It was before Beltane actually and some of the council members were wondering what would happen to the two kingdoms now that we have an infant on the way, a royal heir to both kingdoms. It was mostly talk about how the two kingdoms would be merging under one royal bloodline," she explains. "I had told them that though the kingdoms would be merged during our reign, there wasn't any guarantee that the kingdoms would stay merged for future generations because of the conflicting royal laws that both kingdoms have. That led to an...interesting discussion. They were very concerned about one of us or one of our descendants being challenged to a fight to the death."

"I don't remember any of this," Bog mutters, furrowing his brow in concentration. "Where was I?"

"That was the day when you went to greet the nomad tribes after they returned to the Dark Forest, when you thought it best that I wait until after they had been informed of the changes to the kingdom before being introduced to them, when you figured that I'd be too tempted to disobey your worrywart orders about staying in the nice warm burrows instead of helping air out the castle like everyone else, and when you decided that I would be less prone to trouble if I was stuck in impromptu meetings that you somehow convinced my dad to host on short notice. That day," Marianne states.

"Right, that most harrowing day because of how much I had missed you and was worried that I wouldn't be done with my duties before you got frustrated with waiting," he mentions.

"Hey, I kept my promise and waited," she points out.

"I know but I'm a worrywart, remember?" Bog teases, grinning at her giggling. "How come you didn't mention this before about the council members' concern?"

"As I said, I forgot," Marianne remarks. "I had to tell them the rules of the royal law that stated that each of our children had to go through the trials when they reached the age of full adulthood according to the Dark Forest and that if they failed, they would not be permitted to take the throne. As well as the part about any challenge to the throne had to be accepted, which they had known somewhat thanks to what happened nine months ago, but they hadn't known that in the event that the reigning royal loses the fight, a member of the ruling bloodline that has already passed the trial has the right to force the challenger to fight them as well. The council was very pleased about the fact that the would-be heir could choose to let the challenger take the victory and would be safe, preserving the defeated ruler's bloodline. They had expressed a lot of worry about what would happen when the ruling royal became too old to fight and I told them about the ascension part of the royal law where an heir could be given the throne by the ruling royal at any time after they've completed the trials. I had no problem explaining all this to them and it just didn't seem that big a deal at the time."

"But?" he prods.

"What if something does happen?" Marianne asks softly, rubbing her stomach. "It's not just one kingdom we have to look out for but two! As Thang pointed out, there's more for us to worry about than some contender to the throne. At least with Dark Forest law, our children have some measure of safety if we lose a challenge but..."

He didn't know what happened to his feisty female who reacted without thinking but one thing Bog did know was how to thoroughly distract Marianne when she started thinking too much. The need for air is a tedious thing and he abandons his domination of her mouth to greedily gasp for life's breath before moving to kiss and nip at the supple flesh of his mate's throat. He grins at the sounds of approval as he thoroughly worships the offering presented to him.

"Now," Bog starts, pulling himself up after delivering one last kiss to her nose. "I can't promise that nothing is going to happen. I can't even promise that I won't lose a challenge. After all, I've failed that nine months ago when a breathtaking night apparition attacked with fury befitting any fuath."

"To be fair, you were kind of distracted," Marianne chuckles. "And you were trying not to kill me."

"Except every spar we've ever had clearly states that you are my equal, if not my better," he points out.

"Equal, never better," she corrects, stroking his prickly jaw.

"We're also both equally too willful to accept death if we have even one breath left in our bodies," Bog continues, pausing for a few minutes as his mind flashes back to seeing Marianne's still form being approached by Cu-Sith and he swallows roughly as a shudder passes through him. "I don't know what is going to happen in the future but the spirits damn me if I let you face any of it alone again. We'll get through this together."

"That's almost like what Dad said," Marianne mutters before explaining at his question. "Puck had gotten into some mischief last evening and I couldn't even punish him, so Dad told me that I was worrying too much about being a good mother and that all I needed was to remember that I'm not in this alone. I mean, sure, it wasn't really that big a deal since even Dawn and I snitched sweets from the kitchen when we were younger but I'm supposed to correct him! Our children are going to be anarchists with me as their mother!"

Huffing with laughter, Bog shakes his head before stopping his mate's clever lips from making any more noise except the important ones. He smirks at her dazed expression when he pulls back.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that. Wild and chaotic offspring to fit their wild and chaotic mother," he chuckles. "Doesn't make that a bad thing, though. If anything, I think that solves your previous worry because our young will be too dangerous for anyone to even think about angering. We already have the Breezy Meadow scared into submission and with our bloodlines combined, I'll bet even the Placid Swamp won't ever try to expand their territories again for fear of retaliation."

"So you're saying I should let our kids get away with murder?" she questions.

"I'm saying that you're a great mother and you shouldn't worry," Bog counters. "And while we're on the subject of you worrying when you don't need to, you big hypocrite, you're also a great queen."

"That's not bothering me," Marianne mutters.

"Yes, it is," he argues. "Not only am I sure that your concern about something happening to either one of us is from that but I know that you're also still brooding over the fact that Yemma chose to return to her tribe three weeks ago. Even her clan leader feels that you were just in your judgment of ordering her to be under Junco's care."

Bog gives his own sigh as Marianne sighs and turns her attention toward the open window. It hurts his heart to watch the pain resonate off her delicate features and he curses himself for not noticing it earlier. It's obvious that this has been bothering her for a while.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, brushing his claws through her hair. "I've been remiss in my duties as a mate again, leaving you to deal with this all alone."

"What? No! You've done nothing wrong, Bog!" she denies, turning wide amber eyes back to him. "You've been a perfect mate! This is all on me. I don't know what's wrong. It just seems like you always have to keep reassuring me and I feel so weak."

"You are not weak and I'll not hear you say that again, understand!" Bog growls, softening his glare after a moment. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're a perfect mate, a great queen, and a fantastic mother!"

"Still feels like you have to keep reassuring me," Marianne mumbles.

"You keep reassuring me as well, remember? Besides, a lot has happened in a short amount of time, Marianne," he comments. "We've only been mated for nine months, after only knowing each other for less than a day and for the first three of those months we...well, we could have communicated a lot better."

"True," she chuckles.

Grinning as her somber mood seems to lift slightly, Bog allows himself to resume laying behind her and pulls her against his form. He sets to right the moss blanket before laying his hand against her swollen stomach.

"We've also had to deal with a lot concerning our new roles," Bog continues. "Not only as mates, but we both have had to deal with our positions in our birth kingdoms while also learning unfamiliar laws and history for our new positions in a kingdom that we didn't grow up in. We've even been dealing with an early and unexpected parenthood for the past three months after only discovering our approaching parenthood six months ago. That's not counting the various near-disasters that we've had to face. We've been dealing with a lot, so it doesn't make you weak to feel overwhelmed."

"I haven't been dealing with anything that you haven't been dealing with and you're handling it better," Marianne comments.

"We haven't been dealing with the same things. I'm not the one carrying our infant," he reminds, smiling at the infant's movements under his touch. "We're living in my birth kingdom, not yours..."

"I kinda prefer the Dark Forest," she pipes up, smiling at his brief pause to leave a lingering kiss on her neck.

"...and you are also dealing with your first year as a ruling royal, a stressful time just by itself," Bog continues.

"Were you stressed out in your first year?" Marianne asks.

"Stressed, worried, and terrified," he admits. "The war didn't help any."

"You've had a war recently? Who were you...," she starts before a yawn interrupts her.

"Another time. It's late and we both need to get some rest," Bog murmurs.

He breathes a mental sigh of relief as Marianne settles down without any more questions. It's not like he was keeping it from her, they just haven't gotten to the most recent events of the Dark Forest in their history lessons yet and he had no desire to think about certain things that would inevitably come up as a result of explaining his first ruling year. Not this late at night and hopefully, not anytime soon.

"By the way, Bog," Marianne mutters sleepily. "Who's Prince Fen?"

Bog barely manages to keep his shoulder spurs from rattling and his wings from snapping open. Of course, she would remember that from Thang's ramblings. Squeezing his eyes shut at the pain her innocent question brings forth, he curls tighter against her pliant form and buries his face amidst her disorderly shaded brown hair.

"Go to sleep, Marianne," he orders softly, silently begging that her scent will give him peaceful dreams.


	9. Chapter 9

He's been afraid for as long as he can remember and always hungry. Mama and Papa had tried so hard to get food for him and Pan and Robin and they tried even harder to keep them safe.

Robin was caught first because she was trying to protect him and Pan. Hunters found the nest while Mama and Papa were out and Robin ordered Pan to flee with him while she attacked the hunters.

Pan was caught with Mama when he tried to help her escape the trap she was caught in. He had felt guilty that he didn't help Robin escape and ignored Mama's pleas for him to run until it was too late.

There was nothing Papa could do and everyone was gone.

No one was left.

It wasn't until spring that he realized how true that was...but also how untrue.

The persistent patting of a small hand on her cheek finally breaks through Marianne's hazy dreams and she cracks an amber eye open to look into her son's black eyes gleaming in the waning moonlight. Even without the tears, it would be hard for her to not notice his distressed state by the small whimpers emitting from his long snout and his tight grip on his goblin doll. Normally the little imp would just snuggle in between them without waking them up if he had woken in the middle of the night, unless...

"Nightmare?" Marianne asks, already knowing the answer.

Puck nods solemnly before sniffling as a tear breaks free from its confines. He hugs Goodfellow to him as his mother moves her arm and he quickly curls tightly against her chest with his head snug against her neck to breathe in both his parents' scents. He sighs when his mother's hand upon his back is joined by his father's larger clawed hand and a blue eye opens to stare at him before a tender smile crosses the lean face in front of him.

"Go on back to sleep," Bog murmurs.

Content in the embrace, Puck chirps softly before closing his eyes and wrapping his tail loosely around his parents' wrists. He yawns as the tender strokes through his fur releases the tension in his body and he loosens his tight grip on Goodfellow.

No doubt the stuffed toy is grateful for the reprieve. It had never complained, though. Not once since the day his parents had gotten it for him on his first trip to the Dark Forest market. Although, in Puck's opinion, the little goblin could be a lot more active in its job of scaring away the bad dreams and then it wouldn't have to be sewn up so much when his claws manage to break through the thick fabric.

He hoped Goodfellow isn't hurt again. Any thought to check the toy drifts away as Puck relaxes further.

_It was day but it wasn't. Both the field and forest was covered in a thick fog while terrifying shadows, large and fierce, moved in the grayness._

_They weren't illusions. He knew that for sure because of the vibrations coursing through his form from their earthshaking steps. Glowing eyes are the only thing he can make out from the shadowy figures._

_Screams echo in the false night. Familiar ones. Ones that brought pain to his heart and tears to his eyes as the screams are cut short unexpectedly._

_He was alone once more as a shadow moves closer._

Puck growls in annoyance at the nightmare's persistence and moves restlessly before sighing once more as a hummed lullaby set his rigid ears to relax and his small body thrums from the vibration of his mother's chest. It was scary, being alone after what he dreamed, but he knows that he's safe now.

Nothing will be able to get him, not while Mommy and Daddy are near.


	10. Chapter 10

What was once a deserted dragonfly and minnow breeding village is now a bustling trading village thanks to Lizzie's ravenous efforts at ridding the cricket infestation before she left to start her journey home. It was unanimously agreed to honor the reptile for all her help that fateful night and many were proud to be called residents of her village. A unique village to the Light Fields, not predominately elf, brownie, or fairy but a vibrant mix with the dry creek bed being able to support each creatures' needs.

Landing in the presently quiet village, Marianne turns her attention to the goblins crossing over the border of the two kingdoms. She breathes a sigh of relief as she notices that none of her Dark Forest subjects had embarked toward the Lammas festival grounds yet.

It's a good thing that it was already decided that those heading there would stop at Lizzie's Haven to group together first. She can't believe that she forgot to warn them about today!

"Now that we're here, care to explain why you were so worried?" Bog questions, landing beside her with Puck in his arms. "And don't say that you're not worried! I nearly couldn't keep up with you and our guards are still a good way off."

"There's something about Lammas that I did forget to explain about," Marianne answers. "I hadn't thought that it might be a worry but when Griselda mentioned about some of the nomad youths joining the group coming today, I realized that it's a very big worry."

"They won't cause any trouble," he reassures. "Even though the nomad tribes don't stay the whole year with us, they are still under Dark Forest laws and they'll behave. They're just curious."

"I'm not worried about any goblin misbehaving, just about them misunderstanding. I know I told you what today's events consist of but I forgot to mention that the second day of Lammas can get very...intense," she explains, gesturing with curled fingers.

"How intense?" Bog asks.

"Princess Marianne!"

Marianne turns her attention to the sky and watches as Rowena flies toward them as fast as her black-spotted tawny wings can take her. She withholds a sigh as she notices Rowan's own brown-spotted yellow wings disappear out of sight and her feelings of being an inadequate queen rise to the surface at his obvious reluctance to approach her.

How can she even be a good queen when decisions that she made caused some of her subjects in both kingdoms to mistrust her?

"I'm so glad I caught you!" Rowena comments after landing and bowing to the royals. "Please don't be mad!"

"Why would I be mad?" Marianne questions.

"It was an accident, I swear! Rowan and I didn't mean for it to happen!" Rowena insists.

"I'm not going to get mad, Rowena. Now, what happened?" Marianne asks.

"Well, you see, Rowan and I were watching as everyone was gathering and we were talking of how Sunny is gonna be a prince tomorrow and...," the ten-year-old explains before trailing off with a cringe. "I swear that we didn't know Dorn was nearby!"

"Oh, no!" Marianne groans, covering her face with a hand. "He didn't!"

"He did and Sunny took the bait," Rowena confirms solemnly. "We're sorry, Princess Marianne!"

"I don't blame you two," Marianne assures before growling. "I blame Dorn and I'm going to thrash him!"

"Care to explain, my queen?" Bog questions.

Removing her hand away from her eyes nearly causes her to laugh at the goblins staring at their queen with vivid astonishment. No doubt wondering what it was that annoyed her. She gives the timidly approaching Rowan a reassuring smile before turning to address her subjects.

"It's what I need to talk to everyone about," Marianne murmurs. "Is everyone that is coming gathered already?"

"We're all here, so get to explaining, little thistle," Griselda motions from her dragonfly mount.


	11. Chapter 11

Up until last Samhain, he and every other goblin of the Dark Forest had deemed those of the Light Field as cowardly and meek. They had scoffed at the old tales and mocked the goblins of ages past for being afraid of such weaker opponents.

Not only had Marianne shattered their beliefs but so had the other creatures of the Light Field when they marched fearlessly through the Dark Forest to rescue their crown princess. Bog had no doubts that Samhain morning that the battle would have been a hard one to win had the fairy king chose not to respect his daughter's decision.

But he never thought they were like this.

"They do this every year?" Bog questions cautiously.

"It's tradition," Marianne confirms, the blonde fairy twins' giggling accompanying her answer.

Gone were the friendly faces that he's grown accustomed to and in its place are battle-ready sneers adorning fairy, elf, brownie, and sprite faces gathered in the large marked arena. The noise is tremendous as the waiting groups slung harsh insults to each other with spectators looking on with eager enthusiasm. He's sure that some of them are slurs and he cringes as an insult with the word goblin is included.

Now he understood why Marianne was worried.

He can also understand why they love this!

The thrill an approaching battle could bring is as intoxicating as a long night of drinking goblin ale and Bog shifts his hold on his royal scepter as his body begins to thrum with the restless energy coursing through him from the heated exchange of words. Several others have heard the battle's siren call as well and they shift restlessly, the sound of their movements encouraging his own battle-thirst. He could feel his blood turning to fire and he can't hold back the savage grin.

"I mean it, Bog!" Marianne warns. "No goblins are to participate in any event for this year's Lammas and that definitely includes this one."

At least with the other whimpers, whines, and groans of disappointment, his groan goes unnoticed to anyone but his mate and son. He almost felt like calling her a spoilsport but he knows that she's feeling just as frustrated from not being allowed to participate, her hand's restless movements on her royal sword's hilt is evidence of the effect the call for battle had on her.

"I'm going to go find Dawn," Marianne informs. "She's probably furious about Sunny joining the war, so go find a spot to watch and we'll join you there. Remember what I said!"

"Oh, I know where Princess Dawn was before. I'll show you," Rowena volunteers.

Puck's whimpers as Marianne takes to the air following the younger female fairy tears at Bog's heart and he strokes the young one's back in comfort. Whatever their son had dreamed last night seemed to damage all their work at reassuring him that they weren't going to reject or abandon him, reverting back to not wanting either adult to leave his sight.

"There's already a spot cleared for you, Prince Bog...I mean, King Bog...Bog King?" Rowan mutters, scratching his cheek with a finger. "Your Highness? Or is it Sire? But that can't be right since you're my crown prince even though you are a king, so..."

Bog shakes his head in amusement as the youth keeps muttering to himself on how to address him. He almost had a hard time believing that Rowan is Roland's younger brother with how innocent the younger male fairy is. The poor young one blushed every time Marianne paid attention to him, expressing a shyness that his sister didn't feel as she eagerly chatted on the flight to the festival grounds.

"...maybe I should ask one of the princess...es...princessesses...princessessesses," Rowan stutters before jolting at a hand on his shoulder and looks up to his older cousin.

"Don't sweat it, Rowan," Marco chuckles. "Mom has been looking for you and Rowena."

"We went to tell Princess Marianne about Dorn tricking Sunny so she wouldn't get upset when she found out and now Rowena is showing her where she last saw Princess Dawn," Rowan explains. "I was just about to show them where they can watch the games."

"That's why I'm here actually," Marco mentions before turning to Bog. "I'm part of a faction but we don't have a leader yet. Would you do it, Your Highness?"

"Well, uh...I don't think that's a good idea," Bog comments, wincing at the brown-haired male fairy's obvious disappointment. "Don't you have anyone else you can ask?"

"There's still a few but we were kind of hoping that you'd do it," Marco murmurs. "It'd be by the rules and everything since you are a member of the Light Field royal family."

"But I am a goblin and it would be unfair since Marianne thought it best that no goblin participates in this year's Lammas festival with this being our first time," Bog counters. "Next year..."

"Didn't know goblins were so weak," Dorn scoffs. "Not only are you too scared to fight, even in a fake war, but you're also cowering to a female's will. Don't you males know how to be in charge? Or are you your momma's little infant?"

Drawing himself to full height, Bog rattles his shoulder spurs angrily as he glares toward the male elf. He gets satisfaction as Dorn visibly gulps at his imposing figure but it's unfortunately not enough of a threat to cause him to retreat.

He gives a grunted warning to the other goblins to not react and keeps a tight grip on his growling son to keep him against his chest. It wouldn't be good for anyone to accidentally activate one of the Lammas rules. He hoped they all remembered Marianne's warning back at Lizzie's Haven.

"I bet you hit like a female, too," Dorn sneers.

"That's supposed to be an insult? You've obviously never been hit by a female before," Bog remarks. "Not to worry, Marianne will gladly give you a demonstration once she catches you."

Dorn's instant fearful reaction of scanning the area for the missing fairy brings a thrill of pride through Bog's being. His mate's power is so impressive that the mere mention of her name brought terror.

"Go away and stick your head in an ant's nest, Dorn," Marco interrupts as Dorn opens his mouth. "Oh, my bad, you'll probably fall in with how little you are."

"Funny, coming from you. Heard your female left because of how tiny you are," Dorn remarks, smirking as some snickers emerge from the gathering crowd of onlookers.

"Pity your mouth is the only strong thing you have. You can't even get a night lover," Marco counters.

"Says the fairy who couldn't even get Princess Marianne and she's probably the easiest female to...uh-oh," Dorn mutters before flying backward and crashing into the ground from the punch's force.

"Not again!" Rowan moans, burying his face in his hands.

"Marianne is going to kill me," Bog mumbles, uncurling his fist.


	12. Chapter 12

"Explain!" Marianne demands, placing her hands on her hips for full effect.

It's not that she really needs an explanation. It was obvious what happened when she, Dawn, and Rowena arrived at where the goblins settled at to see a dazed elf all tied up and a missing goblin king. Bog's royal scepter beside Griselda is also a very big hint.

"It's my fault again," Rowan murmurs.

"I don't think that you're the one to blame," Dawn comments before pushing at the tied-up elf with her foot. "Well, Dorn, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Marco's faction needed a leader," Dorn chuckles weakly.

"So, you decided to help him by goading Bog into hitting you. Just like you did with Sunny!" Dawn mutters, scowling while adopting Marianne's body posture. "You went too far this year, Dorn!"

"I didn't break any rules!" Dorn defends. "Like the pipsqueak and Marco pointed out, Bog King is also our crown prince, so that means he's only half-Dark Forest and fits the rule of only members of the royal family or high ranking officials of the kingdom as faction leaders."

Marianne shakes her head at the faulty reasoning, trying not to laugh as Dawn kicks him in a rare fit of anger. He did this every year and somehow always managed to hide until after the fighting was over. Clearly, the goblins didn't appreciate the trickster's prank.

She ignores the ongoing lecture her sister is giving to the contrite elf and holds her arms out to allow Puck to jump into her hold. His content sigh as he curls his head to her neck releases some of her own tension that had built up since she went to look for Dawn. Whatever he dreamed last night bothered him a lot and she felt helpless in her attempts to comfort him.

Maybe they should talk to Plum later since she can understand what he has to say.

Plan made, Marianne turns her attention to getting more of an explanation about what happened. Everyone ignores Dorn's cry of pain as Dawn kicks him again when it's revealed what he said that goaded Bog.

"That troublemaker was just begging to be hit but I don't think he was expecting Bog to hit that hard," Griselda laughs. "Bog told us to tie Dorn up for you to deal with before he left with Marco to join their faction."

"Your Majesty," Adder murmurs. "I thought you said that anyone who hit another would have to join the war game whether they wanted to or not."

"That is the rule for the first two days of Lammas," Marianne confirms.

"Then doesn't that mean that your sister has to join now," Adder mentions, pointing to Dorn trying to rub his bruised leg.

"Only males are permitted to fight. Stupid but it's tradition," Marianne scoffs.

"Who made that dumb rule?" Stuff grumbles, growling at the thought of not being allowed to join next year.

"It's not really a rule, it's more of a...," Marianne starts before stopping, a savage grin beginning to form. "It's not a rule!"

"Marianne, no!" Dawn objects.

"Marianne, yes!" Marianne counters happily.

"But all the factions are filled already and there's no room left," Dawn comments.

"I'll make my own faction. Simpler anyway since there won't be any worry of having a leader's approval to join," Marianne comments.

"A faction has to have a minimum of thirty-two fighters and a maximum of forty, not counting the leader, and there's not much time left to register," Dawn points out.

"Rowena and I can ask around. I know Sepphira has always wanted to join the war game," Rowan mentions.

"And I got goblins," Marianne adds, grinning at the interested growls. "It's only fair that since Bog is playing that they are allowed too if they want."

"You're pregnant?" Dawn tries.

"Really, Dawn, it sounds like you don't want to be my second-in-command," Marianne scolds playfully.

"I didn't say that!" Dawn denies. "I'll go register us and get the equipment ready. This is going to be so exciting!"

Marianne flutters her wings at the excitement rushing through her as she watches Dawn and the twins fly off to carry out their missions. She soothes Puck's whimpers with reassurances that she isn't going far as she loosens the buckles to her royal sword's baldric before handing both son and weapon to Griselda.

The rules of the game are easy to explain and though some disappointed goblins realize they can't participate because it's not their style of fighting, it's not long before Marianne's faction is assembled with an eclectic mix of goblins, female fairies, female elves, female brownies, female sprites, and...

"I'm a lover, not a fighter!" Dorn protests. "You can't make me!"

"Wanna bet," Marianne mutters. "Oh, Stuff!"

"On it, Your Majesty," Stuff smirks.

...and one very unwilling male elf.


	13. Chapter 13

In Griselda's opinion, the war game is the most interesting thing that the Light Field had. Sure, back home they had the trials whenever a young royal became fighting age and the usual games of brawling during their days of rest but this was different. It isn't just about brute strength and power, strategy and skill are important and so is leadership.

The similarity to a real battle as the first two groups clashed had worried several goblin young ones at the sight of their parents fighting but they were quickly reassured, especially once it became obvious to them that no one was getting hurt. Soon even Puck threw off his worries under the thrum of energy as the battle progressed as Marianne's faction removed more and more of the colored bands adorning their opponents' arms. There were a few upsetting moments as one female fairy accidentally broke the rule about flying no higher than a pixie height and her colored band was removed by the pixie referees and also when a goblin accidentally struck his opponent's arm with his weapon when the male sprite was too slow to block the attack and both their colored bands were removed but it was a thrilling match.

"This so exciting!" Plum squeals, twirling in the air before sitting back down beside Griselda. "Caphtor looks worried to me."

"He should be," Griselda chuckles. "Do you think they're going to be able to beat the hourglass?"

"Definitely," Plum confirms. "Although, even if they don't disarm Caphtor or remove his band before the sand runs out, they'll still win by default with how many fighters they've removed from the game. It's incredible how fantastic they're doing. For an army consisting of only first-time fighters, they've only lost five, two of them by disqualification, and they've already removed more than half of Caphtor's faction."

"It won't be long now before Marianne manages to get to Caphtor with how well they're removing his defenses," Griselda mentions. "Oh, look!"

"What a monumental match!" Plum laughs as Marianne gets to Caphtor's last cluster of guards with a small band of six of her fighters flanking her. "Not only is this the first time females have fought in the war game but this is also the first time Caphtor's tried and true strategy failed against anyone but Dagda. She's definitely her father's daughter!"

"Dagda fights the same way?" Griselda questions before cheering with Puck as Marianne disarms another opponent and puts his colored band into her pouch.

"Yep, reckless and wild," Plum giggles. "He may be sensible but it's only old age that tempered his impetuousness when it comes to getting into fights."

"Such a pity that it took this long for the kingdoms to put aside old hatreds," Griselda sighs. "My Loch would have loved this. He and Dagda may have even been good friends. Of course, after they wore themselves out trying to prove themselves better than the other."

Griselda cackles at the image the thought brings to mind and grins as Plum joins her laughter. The odd female was surprisingly good company, even if she did annoy and frustrate Griselda several times whenever she came to the Dark Forest to pay a visit to the royals in the past three months. She was also the only one who knew anything about imps and that made any nuisance she made of herself worth it.

Puck chitters and claps enthusiastically as his mother disarms the male sprite chief and her faction is declared the winner. No wonder his parents wanted to join. It looked like such a fun game to play!

"I don't think you'll be able to play this game even when you get older, Puck," Plum murmurs, earning a disappointed groan. "Sorry, little one, but imps aren't built for this kind of fighting."

Griselda tries not to laugh or smile as Puck scowls and crosses his arms with his tail thumping against her leg in irritation. She's not sure if this is his own personality or if he had picked it up from either Bog or Marianne but it is a hard task not to squeal over how cute the young one is.

"I swear, if it wasn't for the fact that he is an entirely different creature, I would think he is Marianne's blood-son," Plum giggles. "Oh, the memories! She was a little terror when she was younger."

"Bog was the same way," Griselda chuckles. "He had such a temper as a young one. Such a little drama prince!"

Both females laugh harder as Bog scowls in their direction, his faction passing nearby as they take their place in the marked arena for the next match. Puck quickly becomes excited again as the battle commences and Bog twirls his substitute weapon with ease as he leads the charge.

"He takes the offensive as well?" Plum murmurs in surprise.

"Not entirely. Just wait and see," Griselda remarks.

Plum hums in recognition as Bog takes out two fighters before retreating slightly, waiting for his group to finish fighting their present opponents before leading the charge again. She knew that tactic. It would be hard for her not to recognize with how long she's lived and how much she's seen. Her heart pangs in sympathy that the young goblin would know a tactic learned best in war.

"So that's how he got those scars," Plum mutters sadly.

"You say something, Plum?" Griselda asks.

"Your son fought in a war," Plum states.

"How'd you know that?" Griselda questions. "I thought no one in the Light Field knew of anything that happened in the Dark Forest."

"It's the way he fights that gives it away. He's offensive but defensive, reckless but cautious, keeping his allies close in an attempt to offer protection as well as receive protection," Plum murmurs, motioning toward the ongoing battle. "Not many fight like that unless they're someone who's faced death in a way only war can provide. Fighting for your life as an individual is a bit different than when your fighting for your allies' lives as well."

"Very astute," Griselda mutters before sighing. "Seven autumns ago, Bog was crowned King of the Dark Forest amidst the onset of war. It was...a hard year but by Lughnasa, we had defeated them and they agreed to peace. It's not worth much considering their duplicity but it's lasted so far."

Griselda ignores the pain the subject brings to her heart. No use dwelling on such things at a time like this. She's grateful that Plum seems to drop the subject and they both cheer as Bog starts fighting against Councilor Turk, the elder male elf left defenseless at the merciless strategy. It doesn't take long before Councilor Turk is disarmed and Bog holds the defeated leader's colored band in victory as the match is declared won.

"I think he won quicker than Marianne did," Plum comments. "Although, he did lose nine fighters in the process. That might put him at a disadvantage in the next round."

"That will depend on who he is up against. Even with every fighter, he'd be at a disadvantage if they're fighting Marianne's faction," Griselda snickers.

"True, true," Plum laughs. "Oh, it looks like Sunny's faction has been chosen to fight Councilor Demos' faction. This might be a tough one. Demos is pure offense, not so much strategy, and he always fills his faction with brutes. Last Lammas his faction had nearly won and the Lammas before that, he did win."

"I wouldn't call Pare a brute," Griselda comments, spotting the large male elf among the elder male brownie's group. "I've met him several times at the market in Lizzie's Haven and he's a sweet thing."

"He's also very skilled with staves and it's nearly impossible to disarm him," Plum mentions. "Demos' tactic isn't winning by removing another leader's colored band. He prefers winning by removing as many opponents from the game as possible before the hourglass runs out, making them the winner by default."

"Slow and steady to win, huh?" Griselda hums, getting a nod. "That means Sunny's best chance at winning is cornering Demos as quickly as his faction can."

"A hard task since Demos will retreat if he feels that he's about to lose to his opponent," Plum comments. "We'll just see how well the soon-to-be prince deals with this."

"Anyone hurts my Sunny and I'll tie them to the highest tree limb as raven bait!"

Griselda chuckles as Dawn's voice is heard throughout the entire field just before the battle commences and causes the fierce-looking fighters to visibly shiver in fear. Despite how docile and sweet the younger sister looked, she turned out to be as fierce a fighter as her elder sister and everyone knew that she would fulfill the heated threat.

The worry goes unfounded as Sunny's skill shines through as the battle progresses and both elder females giggle at Dawn's adoring posture on the sidelines next to the exasperated Marianne. Though, even the elder sister beams proudly as Sunny orders his fighters in daring but brilliant tactics that divide Councilor Demos' faction and leaves him almost without defense. The elder male brownie's every attempt to retreat is quickly cut off as the younger male elf moves with speed and agileness.

"Just hear that crowd!" Plum remarks as everyone cheers as Sunny holds up the disarmed leader's colored band in victory. "He strategized that splendidly!"

"Pity his faction lost so many fighters, though," Griselda sighs. "He probably won't be able to make it through his next match."

"Losing fifteen fighters might seem like a lot, and it is, but that is an astonishingly small amount compared to Demos' factions' usual damage," Plum points out. "And Demos has never been beaten in the first round before. I think it's safe to say that any doubt left remaining at Sunny's ability to handle his new position in the kingdom have been emphatically removed."

"There were doubts?" Griselda questions in surprise.

"Well...," Plum murmurs before trailing off.

"I would think that he'd be the last one to worry about," Griselda comments. "He risked his life nine months ago and three months ago, showing tremendous courage and fierce loyalty. Sure, he might not be the strongest fighter but Marianne had said several times that he's a brilliant strategist and more so since he started training under Dagda. If he was a Dark Forest subject, he would already be in a high ranking position."

"He's very trusting, though, and might be easily led astray. Dawn is gullible enough and...," Plum mutters.

"Bah! You people worry too much," Griselda scoffs, waving her three-fingered hand dismissively. "They're just youths, so of course they'll make some mistakes and being trusting isn't a bad thing. Marianne is very trusting as well and I don't hear anyone complaining about that."

"Marianne is levelheaded!" Plum interjects, ignoring as the battle between King Dagda's faction and Vice Cheif Doyle's faction commences. "She would never trust someone she didn't know anything about."

"Do I need to retell you the events of Samhain all over again?" Griselda argues. "All she knew about us goblins were old stories told to scare young and old but she trusted us without any solid proof that we weren't lying to her."

"That's different," Plum remarks.

"Oh, yeah. How?" Griselda counters.

"Uh...well, it's...hmm," Plum tries, furrowing her shimmering blue eyes in concentration. "I mean...you see, Marianne is..."

"See my point," Griselda points out after a few minutes, her amber eyes glittering with smugness. "Marianne is just as trusting as the other two and if it wasn't for that, then our kingdoms wouldn't be enjoying our new friendship. Everything turned out alright with her decisions and I'm sure that Dawn and Sunny will be fine as well. Bog and Marianne will make sure of it."

"But Marianne is more cautious in giving out her trust while Dawn gives out her trust blindly," Plum mentions before sighing at Griselda's stern look. "I just don't want her to make the same mistakes her mother did is all. Because she trusted the wrong person, a series of trusting the wrong person, she had lived such a lonely existence before meeting Dagda and that brief period with him was the only time of true happiness she ever had."

"Dagda doesn't act like it bothers him about his daughters being trusting," Griselda points out.

"It doesn't but that's because he's too trusting, too!" Plum groans. "He didn't see anything wrong with befriending an evil vengeful creature his father locked in the dungeon, the gullible child!"

"You don't seem so evil to me and I'm a goblin," Griselda chuckles.

"Had he set me free any sooner than he had, I would have killed him before wreaking deadly vengeance on this entire kingdom," Plum mutters darkly. "You goblins' actions that caused your evil reputation may be from generations past but mine is far more recent. Why do you think there are those in this kingdom that still don't trust me? They remember me from when Elatha put me in that enchanted prison and they still think Dagda is a fool for setting me free."

Griselda holds back her groan at Plum's rapid mood change. She would swear that it was like the shimmering blue creature could not keep a constant emotion. One minute she was more bubbly than Dawn, the next minute more brooding than even Bog could be, and any show of seriousness was as fleeting as a puff of smoke.

Strange that she's getting used to it.

Every so often, she would also see a glimpse of something far more malicious, just like right now. It had sent fear through her the first time because it reminded her too much of the madness of the Placid Swamp's previous king. She had even worried about Plum being around the fairy sisters and their children but it had only been a momentary thought. There was no mistaking how much the elder female loved Marianne and Dawn and she was just as excited as Griselda for the new additions to the royal families.

"That's the real reason why Dagda waited until he had to before he informed you of what happened nine months ago, isn't it? Because you still think it was foolish of Dagda to have set you free and he wanted to keep you from protecting Marianne from acting out any 'foolish ideas' herself," Griselda comments.

"Nonsense," Plum mumbles.

"Not nonsense," Dagda counters.

Both females look up at the elder male fairy standing before them and Griselda notices for the first time that her lap is empty of her first grandson. A quick search reveals Puck in the arms of his mother with his father ruffling through the fur on his head as they walk closer to the seated pair.

"The first round is over," Dagda explains, chuckling at their shocked faces. "You two were too busy that you didn't notice as the break was called."

"Who won the last match?" Griselda questions.

"Who else!" Dagda states with pride.

"It seems all the old fuddy-duddies are losing today. I must congratulate Doyle for his victory," Plum teases, grinning sharply at Dagda's glare.


	14. Chapter 14

"Because we can only take so much honey from the hives without compromising the bees' welfare and the workers' safety," Bog argues. "We don't raise the bees like the Breezy Meadow does, these are wild bees and they only tolerate so much messing around with before they get aggressive."

"Why can't the Dark Forest start their own honey farm then?" Dawn questions. "The sprite colony has their own and it produces a ton more honey than what you harvest."

"I think I know the answer to that one," Sunny mentions, smiling at Bog's relieved sigh. "It's because there's already a hive nearby and there won't be enough nectar to support all the bees if more are added to the area. If they started their own honey farm just to have tamed bees that tolerate their presence better, it would probably cause the other hive to die. It's just like why only the sprite colony has a honey farm in the Light Field."

"Can't you, I don't know, tame the wild bees?" Dawn asks.

"Dawn, dear, you better eat or you'll not be able to fight properly," Dagda intervenes. "You wouldn't want to lose your next match just because you didn't rest yourself, do you?"

Dagda grins in victory as Dawn ceases her questions in favor of eating her food. What had started as an innocent mention of the Dark Forest royal chef's famous honey and blackberry jam cake had turned into a relentless questioning of why he didn't make it more times besides only on special days since he had access to more flour. Bog's answers had soon become filled with strained patience as nothing seemed to satisfy Dawn.

She's going to be an absolutely vicious political figure once she grows out of her youthful timidity!

"Ah, that's filling!" Marianne sighs. "I'm glad you thought of bringing a picnic, Nex. Festival food is good but it can't outdo your cooking."

Watching the small male beaked goblin beam with pride at his queen's praise, Dagda hides his smile behind a cup of strawberry juice. His eldest made a fine queen. He always knew she would be and he's glad she kept the informal openness with her subjects that he tried to instill in his daughters.

"I've brought plenty, Your Majesty, so you don't have to eat only a little," Nex comments, holding out the platter of sandwiches.

"Maybe later. I'm fine for now," Marianne assures. "We still got kings and princes to beat and I wouldn't want to make it too easy on them by getting myself too full."

"It would make it more of a fair fight," Sunny chuckles, finishing his piece of cooked minnow. "Even halfway through your pregnancy and it still doesn't slow you down. I don't think I've ever seen Chief Caphtor beaten so quickly. Spirits, Marianne, you're like the queen of war!"

"Hey! What about me, Sunny? Marianne wasn't the only one fighting," Dawn pouts.

"Uh, well, that isn't to say that you weren't magnificent yourself!" Sunny quickly reassures.

"You were also surprising, little dandelion," Griselda comments. "I wouldn't have guessed that you knew how to fight so well."

"I might not be able to fight as well as Marianne but I can take care of myself," Dawn remarks.

"Barely," Marianne mutters lowly, smirking at her younger sister's glare before turning her attention to Griselda. "It's actually required that all royals learn basic fighting skills along with their other studies."

"But the Light Field royal bloodline isn't dependant on your fighting ability like the way the Dark Forest is, so why would it be required for all royals to learn to fight?" Griselda questions.

"It's a precaution for two reasons. One, so that they would be able to defend themselves if they're in a dangerous situation without any guard able to protect them and two, if the danger turns out to be their guard," Dagda explains.

"Not that there have been any problems with the royal guards during the past four kings," Marianne assures at noticing Thang's troubled look. "It's only required to learn the basics and it's up to the individual royal to decide to take advanced lessons. I may prefer the sword but I can fight just as well with daggers, staves, knives, and I'm a pretty good shot at archery."

"Let's not forget how well you punch," Bog mentions, rubbing the side of his jaw. "But it's still hard to believe that you know how to do all that as well, Dawn."

Dawn smirks at the underlying challenge, bearing an unnerving resemblance to her elder sister, before standing up from her place among the seated group. She quickly picks up a spare knife among the cutlery and throws it toward a far-off painted target still set-up from yesterday's archery contest. The thud as the blade hits the center mark isn't nearly as satisfying as the shocked looks from all the present goblins.

"Like I said, I'm not as good as Marianne when it comes to blades and feats of strength. However, I can shoot better than her," Dawn gloats.

"Lies and slander!" Marianne accuses playfully.

"Like you know, O Queen of the Dark Forest! I have been practicing a lot and Captain Tigler said that I've surpassed even you," Dawn boasts.

"Tigler!" Marianne yells, wincing apologetically as everyone nearby cringes.

"Whatever you two are arguing about, I'm staying out of it!" Captain Tigler replies from his place on the other side of the marked arena.

Dagda laughs long and hard at his daughters' shocked faces and Dawn's mumbled question of wondering how Tigler knew they were arguing. His daughters are still the same and it felt so good to have his family acting normal again...well, as normal as one married daughter with a son and the other daughter soon-to-be-married could be but it was still more normal than it's been with the newness of everything.

"Didn't Dawn show you her new bow when she visited you last week?" Sunny asks.

"What new bow?" Marianne questions.

"Daddy had it commissioned for me for my coming-of-age but I kinda forgot to bring it with me," Dawn chuckles sheepishly. "I was going to tell you but then I forgot because we were talking about the wedding and...Oh! That's right, I nearly forgot about that too! Last night, Sunny and I had talked about what Daddy said that you and Bog were talking about yesterday."

"What me and Bog were talking about?" Marianne repeats in confusion. "What were we talking about?"

"About you two having a Light Field wedding, of course!" Dawn answers. "It's a great idea!"

"We weren't actually talking about it," Marianne denies. "Just mentioned it during the Romeo and Juliet play."

"It's still a great idea," Dawn remarks.

"We know it's short notice but we'd be proud if you two joined us tomorrow," Sunny adds, stemming the oncoming sister squabble.

"First off, Bog and I haven't even talked about it yet and secondly, tomorrow is about you two," Marianne argues. "We are not going to spoil your wedding."

"Sunny and I wouldn't even be getting married if it wasn't for the both of you. You saved our lives during the Wild Hunt, which still counts because we didn't know then that the goblins wouldn't have killed any of us, and Bog saved our lives during the Spring Festival," Dawn murmurs, grabbing her sister's hands. "So, how would it spoil our wedding to honor the very ones who made such a day possible?"

"No need for you to make your decision like right now at this second," Sunny reassures. "Plum went a bit overboard on the wedding preparations, so there's no worries about rushing around to get anything more done if you do decide to join us because there's plenty of everything."

"Just how overboard did you go?" Marianne asks Plum suspiciously.

"Probably got enough for four royal weddings," Dagda chuckles, raising himself off the ground as the call for the fighters to reassemble goes out.

"I may have gotten a little carried away," Plum sheepishly admits. "I was just so excited that Dawn and Sunny let me help. Like a veritable fairy godmother!"

"You mean, fairly oddmother, don't you?" Sunny teases.

"And don't you forget it," Plum singsongs, pointing a finger and winking at him.

Laughing again as Plum hug-attacks Sunny and starts pinching his cheeks before pouncing on Dawn to deliver the same treatment, Dagda stretches his dark red wings to feel the sun's gentle caress on his aching wing spines. There's been so much happening lately, almost one thing after another, and he's glad that everything is finally starting to settle down.


	15. Chapter 15

"I still say you cheated," Bog grumbles.

"It wasn't against the rules, you sore loser," Marianne counters.

Bog shakes his head at the resulting snickers from the goblins that joined them for the trek back home and tries not to grin as he walks next to his mate's saddled squirrel. Hours later and their subjects are still happily discussing the match between their ruling royals. Or more accurately, congratulating their queen for her victory.

It's not that he is sore at losing the last round of the war game, he isn't, but how he lost was underhanded.

His faction's second match had lasted longer than the first one had and they barely won before the hourglass ran out. He even had to change his tactic a little because Sunny had counterattacked differently than he had during his own first match, making the opposing faction's moves unpredictable. Then when he finally caught up to his soon-to-be brother-in-law, what Sunny lacked in strength compared to the taller male goblin, he made up with an agileness that had made it hard for Bog to defeat him without hitting anything other than his own weapon. Not only would he have disqualified them both but he's sure that Dawn would have followed through with her repeated threat.

In the end, Bog had lost twelve fighters and gained an even higher respect for the small male elf.

He also gained a higher awe and fear of his own mate and her sister once their match against their father's faction concluded. The merciless duo had gone into battle with only seven less fighters than they started the game with and came out with only six fighters lost after decimating the numbers of the more experienced fighters. Even Captain Tigler had fallen after failing to beat Dawn before Sepphira traded the younger female fairy's place to quickly disarm her tiring father. The switching tactic had left Dagda without defense and the royal sisters pulled the switch on their own father as well, with Dawn delivering the disarming blow.

The break between the second and third round was only a short reprieve, not even enough time to relax before the call was sounded to reassemble. He had noticed that more goblins had joined the sidelines while he was busy fighting Sunny's faction and as he entered the arena again, he had realized that most of his kingdom had shown up to watch their ruling royals fight.

Bog smirks in remembrance at what a fight it was. Sunny was both right and wrong. Marianne isn't the queen of war, she's the goddess of war and he'd have been lying to say it was only battle lust coursing through him as he watched his mate ready her forces on the opposite side of the battlefield, his goblins surrounding her with a fierceness to protect her that was matched by the females of the Light Field.

He had ordered his fighters to try their best to keep the opposing faction from being able to pull their switching tactic, to use the rule of only one-on-one matches to their advantage and not let another fighter cut in. It had worked for the most part...until he realized that Marianne had ordered that he be left to her.

His once most loyalest subjects, Stuff and Thang, had cruelly played him, keeping him too occupied to notice the encroaching danger. Fighting Marianne was thrilling as always but there was the added trouble of both of them being forced to hold back their usual vigor, their wooden weapons not being able to handle the pressure that their steel weapons could. It was after they took a brief pause because of a cracking sound warning them of possible disqualification that it happened.

Marianne smirked before loosening her posture and leaned on her wooden staff in the most triumphant pose ever, Stuff and Thang copying her movements with their own smug expressions. Only an exasperating sound broke him out of his confusion and he quickly looked over to correct his sister-in-law's horrendous nickname for him, only to notice his bare arm and Dawn smugly waving the stolen colored band.

"You have to admit that it was clever planning," Marianne comments, breaking him out of his musing.

"Fine, I'll admit that it was clever planning," he mutters. "But it still felt like you cheated!"

"How else would either one of us win when using such feeble weapons?" she counters. "We would have kept fighting until the staves broke and then no one would be the winner."

"True," Bog concedes before chuckling. "I think the most surprising outcome of the war games is that trickster elf being the one to win the prize for collecting the most colored bands."

"That's not as surprising as Dorn being able to make it to the last round. I was expecting him to be taken out during the fight with Caphtor with how many were out for revenge for all his tricks," Marianne remarks. "He turned out to be a pretty good fighter for someone who always avoided being part of the war game."

"How did you even force him to join?" he asks.

"It was easy. I had Stuff trick him," she cackles. "She untied him and then she tripped him when he was trying to get up, causing him to hit Thang as he was falling. He knows better than to take a trash-talk bait but accidentally hitting someone counts just as good."

"Are you sure you don't have some goblin in you, my scheming queen?" Bog teases.

"Blame Mom. She encouraged my childhood exploits, to my nannies' constant complaints," Marianne quips. "Are you sure you don't want to ride with me and Puck? There's plenty of room up here."

Bog gives a soft refusal before guiding the hesitant Light Field squirrel to follow his subjects off the beaten path and through the brush. This way was much quicker to the castle than the main road and since flying was a tiring option after the long day, the shortcut was perfect no matter how rugged the terrain. At least Marianne hadn't resisted her father's suggestion of taking a squirrel mount but that only solidified how tired she is in Bog's mind.

Soon their traveling companions slowly trail off onto different paths to head back to their villages and only the royal guards are left to continue to the castle. He had to agree with the sentiment as Cynder gives a loud yawn.

"I can't tell what tired me out more, the fighting or listening to the Sugar Plum Fairy's lecture on Light Field wedding decorum," Cynder mutters, rubbing his snout.

"Definitely the wedding lecture," Dax remarks. "You fell asleep halfway through, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Cynder hums. "It was boring."

"The wedding ceremony isn't just as boring, is it, Your Majesty?" Adder questions, turning his attention to Marianne.

"Depends on your point-of-view. There is a lot of talking compared to the mating ceremonies of the Dark Forest, so it might be a bit boring," Marianne answers, wincing at the groans. "No goblin is obligated to come if they don't want to. Except for Bog. He doesn't have a choice in the matter."

"Poor Sire!" Fang laments before joining the loud laughter.

"He's the one who wanted to honor the Light Field custom, so don't pity him," Marianne chuckles. "The Dark Forest custom is so much better. State your acceptance vows in front of high-ranking witnesses at a collective mating ceremony and done. No need for individual formal ceremonies and long speeches."

"It's not just about fairness that we have a Light Field wedding that allows those of the Light Field to show their approval of our union but also to prevent any possible future resentments," Bog comments.

"Meaning, just because no one has a problem now doesn't mean that someone won't have a problem later?" Marianne guesses, getting a nod. "You're probably right. Dawn said something to that effect while you and Sunny were fighting. She mentioned that it might cause some problems with the other kingdoms and that they might not respect a king and queen that doesn't honor their own kingdoms' custom. It also looks better for us to have a Light Field wedding now before we gain the title of King and Queen of the Light Field then to be asked later."

"If that might be an issue then why hasn't anyone in the Light Field brought it up before?" Fang asks hesitantly.

"With everything that has been happening this past year, I think everyone is still reeling from all the changes," Marianne answers. "It wasn't until Thang mentioned it yesterday that most even realized that our acceptance vows were only witnessed by Dark Forest denizens."

"And that's why Thang became a royal steward at such a young age!" Cynder boasts.


	16. Chapter 16

_It was day but it wasn't. It was hot but a cold chill seeped into the bones. A thick fog covered the field and forest with a terrible greyness that could be felt, oppressive and ominous, and terrifying shadows moved within._

_Getting closer. Getting bigger._

_One...Two...Three...Four..._

_Heavy footsteps cause the earth to shake and hot breath fog in the air despite the heated day. Sharp teeth gleam from what little light breaks through, savage and fierce but far more merciful than the glowing eyes that pierce through the false night._

_A flash of blue-white illuminates the forest briefly and voices scream out before cutting short._

_...Five...Six..._

_Getting closer. Getting bigger._

_Shadows take form. Oh, spirits!_

_...Seven._

* * *

_The thick fog obscured everything with an oppressive presence and only the glowing eyes penetrate the greyness as large terrifying shadows move about. Growls and snarls vibrate the air like thunder._

_Must fight! Must protect! Must win!_

_A flash of blue-white._

_It's hard to breathe and everything hurts._

_A flash of amber._

_A scream of rage._

* * *

_Alone. So very alone._

_But not alone enough as the giant shadow moves closer as familiar voices scream with heartbreaking emotion._

_Can't run forward. Can't run back. Can't hide despite the thick fog hiding everything else._

_All alone._

* * *

_It's hot but cold seeps through, freezing the very soul._

_Pain._

_Sorrow._

_Fear._

_Hope is gone, love is lost, and only darkness remains._

_Rage._

_A blinding light scatters the fog._

* * *

"Hmm, interesting."

Glowing eyes open, dispelling the images that once flashed across them.

It's odd to see so many at once and not be the result of a night's rest but a quick sniff reveals the falseness of the dreams. The scent of magic is heavy in the air and with a sneer, it's discovered to be untraceable. The trail fleeting like a puff of smoke.

Sharp teeth glint in the pre-dawn light when a search reveals more trails flittering in the morning air and a mouth opens to inhale more of the foreign magic's scent. The taste is delicious, sending the senses into a pleasurable frenzy at the flavor. The magic is exotic, though familiar, weak, though powerful, and wholly unrestrained. Fresh and new and...close by.

"Very interesting."


	17. Chapter 17

The morning breeze blows gently through the royal chambers and Marianne scrunches up her face as a loose piece of hair brushes across her nose. Puffing air from her mouth does little good to get the stray hair into place and she reluctantly leaves the world of sleep.

And here she was hoping to get a nicer dream before she had to wake up to balance out the ones that plagued her most the night.

Thanks to months of practice, Marianne is able to escape from her husband's clinging hold and emerges from their shared bed. It's a little trickier to remove her son's clinging form but she manages to do so without waking Puck up and she lays him against Bog.

Stretching her wings, she nearly groans at the mugginess she can feel in the air. Seems they were in for a very warm day today.

"I guess it was too much to hope for that it would stay cool for the festivities," she mutters softly.

She leaves a kiss on her sleeping husband's prickly chin and between her sleeping son's closed eyes before donning her dark pink spider silk dressing gown. The trip to the royal washing chambers is uninterrupted. Not really surprising with how early it is, probably not even dawn yet, but she is surprised that the other royal female of the Dark Forest is already cleaning up.

"Good morning, little thistle," Griselda murmurs, looking up from her task of washing her face.

"Good morning, Griselda. You're up early," Marianne comments.

"Could say the same for you," Griselda chuckles tiredly. "We're in for a hot day today."

Marianne hums her agreement and joins the elder female after a quick trip to the privy. The cool water feels fantastic against her heated skin and she barely resists the urge to draw a full bath. No need for that when she'll be taking one in a little while.

"Probably best not to heat the purification waters today with how warm it already is," Marianne mentions.

"Definitely!" Griselda agrees. "Though, we might have a little trouble getting some goblins out of the water. How can you fairies even stand the heat with your large wings?"

"Our wings actually help us cool down," Marianne explains. "You'll see a lot of fairies fanning their wings, especially the elders, and Dad will probably create a whirlwind with him being required to wear his entire formal wear. Bog is lucky his formal wear only consists of light clothing."

"With the need for the ruling royals to always be ready to fight at all times, any more clothing would just get in the way," Griselda remarks.

At the mention of fighting, Marianne pauses in her act of rinsing her face and she nibbles on her bottom lip. It seemed like an entirely inappropriate question considering the events of today but her curiosity wanted to be satisfied, especially after dreaming what she had.

Bog had avoided her previous attempt at answers because of their need for sleep and when she tried to ask him again yesterday, something always came up. She also got the feeling that he was reluctant to talk about it.

Griselda would probably give her the answers or straight up tell her to wait until a better time.

"What happened during Bog's first ruling year?" Marianne asks before explaining quickly at Griselda's silence. "It's just that Bog and I got to talking the night before last but it was late, so he said it was a story for another time and I never got a chance to ask him yesterday."

"I was wondering when you would ask something like that," Griselda murmurs. "It is a story for another time though, Marianne. That year was a very painful one for Bog, for all of us, in fact."

"That include the story of who Prince Fen is?" Marianne questions.

"Thang?" Griselda guesses, getting a nod. "I thought I overheard Stuff scolding him for bringing Fen up in front of Bog but I hadn't realized that he also mentioned him in front of you."

"Thanks to all those stories two days ago, Thang was worried that someone from the Light Field might want to kill Bog and I or Sunny and Dawn, so he asked me about it and had mentioned about Prince Fen's death. I assured...," Marianne explains.

"Thang brought up Fen's death?" Griselda interrupts, staring at the younger female in surprise.

"Yeah," Marianne answers slowly before continuing where she left off. "I assured Thang that there wasn't any danger but that kind of led me to not being able to sleep. Bog reassured me that I'm just going through the normal stress caused by everything that has happened and briefly mentioned that he had trouble during his first year of ruling."

"I'm surprised Bog or Stuff didn't knock him unconscious," Griselda mutters.

"Did you hear everything I said?" Marianne groans.

"Yes, yes, but...it's just...oh, come on," Griselda states, grabbing Marianne's hand and dragging her out the door.

"Griselda! Wait, where are we going?" Marianne asks as the elder female pulls her down the corridors at a fast speed.

"If we're going to talk about this then it's best to do so where nobody will overhear, especially Bog," Griselda comments.

"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to," Marianne assures.

"I don't want to talk about it. Ever!" Griselda admits. "But it's best to get this all out now or things will get messier than it did during Imbolc. I know Bog hasn't talked to you about the meeting with the Placid Swamp that's gonna happen in a few days and the rest of us have been avoiding mentioning it as well."

Marianne pauses her questions at the mention of Imbolc and that something was being kept from her concerning the Dark Forest. Griselda was right. Bog hadn't mentioned anything about an upcoming meeting with the Placid Swamp. In fact, he rarely ever mentioned anything about the kingdom on the other side of the Dark Forest and when he did, it wasn't much or favorable.

She hadn't even known about there being another kingdom so close until she looked at the maps in the archive four months ago and noticed the border marking. Bog had merely told her that it was a kingdom of goblins as well but they were not allies to the Dark Forest. He had also mentioned that they had a bad habit of trying to expand their borders before completely changing the subject.

The chill coursing through her has nothing to do with the fact that Griselda is pulling her deeper down the castle and toward the winter burrow's castle entrance. She had a bad feeling about this story.

"I might as well start from the beginning," Griselda murmurs, pausing to open the winter burrow's door enough for them to enter. "When the Tarn King died and Queen Moor took his mate's place as king, the Titan King of the Placid Swamp proposed a treaty between the kingdoms. Moor was reluctant to accept it but the proposed treaty was too good to turn down because of the added benefit of no longer being in almost constant skirmishes with two different kingdoms. The Titan King had also given a blood-gift as an assurance to his sincerity."

Marianne shivers at the mention of a blood-gift. It was a horrific practice of the oath-taker giving their firstborn to the recipient of the oath as a guarantee that they would perform their oath. Not only is the firstborn never permitted to interact with their kin again but should their kin break the oath, they would be killed.

"I was eight springs old when my...sire sent me here and it didn't even take him a month before he was caught breaking the treaty," Griselda continues.

"Wait, you mean you're...?" Marianne trails off, staring at Griselda in surprise.

"Crown Princess Griselda of the Placid Swamp," Griselda introduces. "Not that that's worth anything. You see, the Placid Swamp's royal laws are very similar to the Light Field's except females have no rank or respect. Our responsibility is just to birth the next generation. We're raised to be little fluffy fluffer-heads who always do what males tell us to do because we don't have enough brains to think for ourselves."

"And yet you're here, alive and bossy," Marianne murmurs in amusement.

"Yeah, well, I was always different from the rest of the females in the Placid Swamp. Sure, I knew how to play the part so as to not get into too much trouble but I always slipped up. Just like the day I arrived here," Griselda chuckles, her amber eyes filled with fond memories. "I hadn't any idea what to really expect, not knowing how different the goblins here were from those back home or even how I would be treated by them. I managed to stay calm throughout the whole proceedings even though I was terrified but after the envoy left me here, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Loch was just a skinny nine-winters-old brat at the time and he was in a sour mood. I found out later that Moor had ordered his son to take care of me, so like all grumpy little males, he said something stupid and I bit him for it."

"And they keep calling me wild and chaotic!" Marianne laughs, her voice echoing as they enter the archives.

"I was so terrified that I was going to be punished severely but the dreaded Moor King of the Dark Forest only laughed so hard that he fell down and then he told his whining son that he deserved it," Griselda remarks. "Moor treated me no different than he did his own offspring and made sure that I got an education that he said befitted a princess. In just one week, he was more a father to me than my own blood-kin was. Now, I might have only been a young one but I was as sharp as a blade. I knew the Titan King just wanted to get rid of me so his illegitimate son could be recognized as royal since there wasn't any true member of the royal bloodline left with my mother dying at my birth and I knew this treaty was his way of keeping his hands clean while also potentially leaving the Dark Forest unprepared for attack. I warned Moor that the Titan King wouldn't keep the treaty and his fighters were ready long before the invading army neared the first Dark Forest village. The false treaty was tossed aside and the usual skirmishes kept persisting like always."

"Obviously you weren't killed because of the broken oath, so what happened next?" Marianne questions.

"Moor raised me and ten springs later, I wasn't a gangly underfed runt anymore. I was hot!" Griselda quips, momentarily pausing in her stride to strike a pose. "And Loch attacked any eligible male that even so much as looked at me."

Her mirth doesn't permit her to notice where the elder female is leading her but soon Marianne realizes they're in a more isolated part of the archives. It's an area she hasn't explored yet. There weren't any scrolls but the large shelves were filled with various items, mostly large boxes and a lot of narrow somethings standing vertically.

Griselda releases her hand to walk over to one of the shelves and she moves the narrow things until she finally pulls one out to reveal it's the frame of a portrait.

"Griselda?" Marianne breathes in shock.

Marianne wasn't sure what she was expecting but this was not it. She had seen Loch King and Griselda's portrait several times as she wandered the archives but in this painting, they are older and also not alone. Another time she would have appreciated seeing a very young Bog showing off his missing milk teeth and maybe she would have giggled at the cute sight. This time, though, all she can do is stare at the two extra goblins in the portrait, similar in appearance to Bog and smaller than the Loch King but both are clearly older than the beaming child.

"Loch and I had three young. Would've had more but being a pureblood goblin, the longer pregnancy took a toll on me," Griselda murmurs, before softly running a hand against the painted face of the bigger-than-her goblin standing between the other two children. "This was painted right after Mire's fifteenth spring. Our firstborn was so happy to finally be allowed to join the hunting party that she got a bit careless as she was tracking a rabbit and hadn't kept an eye on the changing weather. She had wandered too far from the others and the summer storm was too fierce for her to fight her way back to the hunting burrow, so she had to wait until the hunting party found her. Loch wrapped her up as best he could but she was soaked through and so very cold. The healers worked almost without rest to force the winter-chill from her body but she was so weak afterward and there was nothing anyone could do."

Marianne watches as Griselda replaces the portrait and grabs another one. This one also contained the Loch King, Griselda, Bog, as well as the other goblin, and was far more recent than the last portrait. Both younger goblins towered over the Dark Forest queen but Bog was still slightly shorter and Marianne noticed a cool-detachment in the other goblin's frosty blue eyes compared to Bog's emotional crystal blue eyes.

"This...this was the last...last painting before...," Griselda manages before whimpering.

"Griselda, you don't have to...," Marianne starts.

"I'm alright," Griselda assures, wiping at her tears. "It's just that I haven't looked at any of these pictures in nearly seven years and I almost forgot how much Fen and Bog looked like Loch. Stubborn, growly, and grumpy, all three of them."

Griselda's forced laughter doesn't fool Marianne and she gently pries the portrait out of the elder female's hands to place it back on the shelf before tugging her back into the main room of the archives.

"It was after Bog turned twenty-one and it was his turn to take the trials," Griselda murmurs. "He not only won the fights but he also defeated Fen, giving him first rights to the crown. Fen was...unhappy."

"Sore loser," Marianne mutters automatically before cringing.

"He was a very sore loser," Griselda chuckles. "He hated losing at anything, even as a young one. Mire would make him so mad by doing things that he wasn't big enough to do and then she'd gloat about it. Of course, Fen turned around and did the same thing to Bog but while Fen acted out, Bog just screamed. By the spirits, could he scream! I'm surprised I hadn't gone deaf ages ago!"

The laughter is real this time as both females wipe away tears born from mirth and Griselda runs a three-fingered hand through her short frizzy red hair. Catching a tangled knot reminds her that they hadn't finished dressing yet but she knows that she made the right decision. It felt refreshing to be able to talk about all her children again, even if it is still a little painful to remember.

"Anyway, no one knows what really happened," Griselda continues. "Shortly before Samhain that same year, Fen announced that he was going to visit someone for a few days. He didn't say who it was or why, just that he would be back in time for the Wild Hunt. For the past few months he had been leaving for almost whole days at a time before returning home without giving any explanation, so I figured that he was courting a female from one of the nomad tribes and wanted to spend time with her and see her off when the tribes left. Then the night of the Wild Hunt came and Loch waited as long as he could but Fen didn't come home. Loch knew that he wouldn't be able to concentrate and he didn't want to leave me to worry alone, so he sent Bog to oversee the hunt and we waited through the night together for both our sons to come home but Fen never did. He was only twenty-eight autumns old."

Marianne can't stop tears from falling as the last pain-filled words seems to echo through the stone chamber and she wraps her arms to cover her enlarged stomach in an unconscious effort to protect her unborn infant. She couldn't even imagine how much pain the elder mother went through at losing two children or how she even survived. No wonder she fussed over Bog like she did...

Oh, spirits!

"I'm sorry!" Marianne gasps out. "I'm so sorry!"

Griselda returns the desperate embrace from her daughter-in-law with equal vigor, petting the wild shaded brunette hair as tears soak both dressing gowns. She pulls back after a few minutes of repeated apologies and tries to wipe away the tears of the kneeling fairy before her.

"It's okay, little thistle, it's okay," Griselda soothes.

"It's not okay!" Marianne denies vehemently. "You've been through so much and I...I nearly killed your son! How could you forgive me?!"

"Easy. It's just as Stuff said, you don't have a killer's heart," Griselda murmurs. "That isn't to say that I wasn't a bit tempted to kill you when Bog was telling the story but after hearing what he did and how you reacted to him, I knew then that you hadn't really wanted to kill him. You were only doing what you had to do to protect the ones you care about. It was more obvious when you woke up. Not only did you stay calm despite being in a strange place but you didn't even react violently to anyone's presence."

"But...," Marianne starts.

"No buts!" Griselda growls before softening. "Besides, you more than made up for it. My son has a great mate and I got a cute grandson with another on the way."

Marianne crushes the elder mother to her in another fierce hug, feeling more grateful for her presence throughout the last nine months. She knew things would have been a lot different without Griselda's pushy but loving presence.

"Now, let's finish before that cute grandson panics at you being missing and terrorizes the whole castle," Griselda quips.

Puck probably would, too. The poor child had been clinging all day yesterday and absolutely refused to sleep in his own bed. She could only imagine what he'd do if he woke before they finished.

"The story gets a whole lot worse, doesn't it?" Marianne questions hesitantly.

"Unfortunately," Griselda sighs. "All our searching proved to be useless and no one found a trace of what happened to Fen. At least, not until a messenger arrived from the Placid Swamp with orders that the King and Queen of the Dark Forest were to come to the Placid Swamp castle alone or never see our elder son again. The messenger also brought proof of the threat, Fen's royal necklace and...and Fen's wings."

Marianne groans in disgust as her own wings shudder. For a winged creature, cutting off their wings was the same thing as cutting off an arm or a leg. The survival rate for a wingless winged creature is very low and most die within a few years of the loss.

"There wasn't much we could do but obey," Griselda continues, dusting off her green spider silk dressing gown before urging Marianne to her feet. "We arrived only to find out that the Titan King was still alive, meaner and crazier than ever, and that Fen was already dead from the torture he endured. Loch fought as hard and as long as he could but he was outnumbered and tired by the sheer onslaught. If it wasn't for Bog, I would have died as well. It took months of brutal fighting but Bog finally forced the Placid Swamp to agree to stay in their borders. The yearly meetings are just to remind those treacherous fools that next time, we won't leave enough of them alive to feed a raven."


	18. Chapter 18

**I realized after I wrote and posted Wild Love that I missed a golden opportunity. That is now rectified. :3**

Bog smothers his urge to laugh at the scene before him as Sunny attempts to get ready for his own wedding. Even Dagda is restraining himself as well if the twitching whiskers on his face are anything to go by.

It's not as if the male elf was getting ready alone but the fairy king's personal valet looked ready to knock the fidgeting youth unconscious just so that he could finish dressing the prince-to-be. Legios fixes the rumpled green-embroidered white short-sleeve tunic for the seventh time before firmly forcing his nervous charge to sit down again and this time, smacking the wandering four-fingered hands and ordering the pouting Sunny to quit touching the gold buttons before turning around to retrieve the matching cloak.

"What did I say!" Legios growls, his eyes still on untying the cloak's gold laces.

"No touching," Sunny mumbles, lowering his hands.

"If he's this bad then I'm surprised we haven't heard Marianne yelling out in frustration from dealing with Dawn," Bog mutters.

"Hey! You got it easy, Bog, and it's completely unfair!" Sunny whines.

"He does have a point," Dagda murmurs, eyeing the male goblin's cooler attire with envy and adjusting his own tunic's high-collar while his valet has his back turned. "Although, I'm quite sure your formal wear was different the last time I saw you wearing it."

"No one would have been scared all these years if we knew male goblins wore skirts," Sunny snickers.

"It's a kilt!" Bog growls, correcting for the hundredth time since he arrived. "It's traditional formal wear for all males that become fathers and since we did officially adopt Puck, that includes me."

"So that's not just Dark Forest royalty's attire?" Legios questions before tugging on Sunny's pointed ear. "If you don't sit still and let me finish, young prince, I shall tell Princess Dawn that you are too nervous to marry her today."

"I'll behave!" Sunny swears, becoming rigid.

"The only difference between my clothes and the other males of the Dark Forest is the white stones on my vest and on the kilt belt, which only Dark Forest royalty is allowed to wear, and the amber jewel on the sporran's flap, which only ruling royals are allowed to wear, " Bog explains, motioning to the mentioned items. "Other than that, all males in the Dark Forest wear either a tunic or a vest for their formal wear, no matter their status. Once they become fathers, the kilt and the sporran are added to...uh...well, to signify their successfulness. Males that become grandfathers wear a great kilt, which is just added fabric that extends from the kilt to be worn over the shoulder."

"Is there a reason for the odd pattern?" Dagda asks. "It's probably great camouflage with its dark green, black, light green, white, and purple but I've never seen a design with crossing colors like that in any of the other kingdoms."

"No reason at all. Except maybe as most female goblins will say, it looks pretty," Bog chuckles.

Any more questions are stopped as the chamber door opens slightly and a formal-dressed Puck scurries through the opening to peer around before chittering back to the other side. The cause for his action is revealed as Marianne slips into the room herself wearing a very appealing dress.

The gold-embroidered magenta ankle-length dress is not the tempting dress that teased him nine months ago during that fateful Wild Hunt fight but it is just as alluring with its thin golden band just beneath her nursing breasts and accents her enlarged stomach despite how the fabric flows loosely. Before Bog can really appreciate her enticing appearance, Dagda stands up to quickly block her from his view.

"Marianne! It's bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding!" Dagda chides.

"We're already married and this is just a formality," Marianne deadpans. "Besides, I need to talk to Bog and you need to calm down Dawn."

"Wedding jitters as well?" Dagda chuckles, pointing to the statue-impersonating Sunny as Legios makes the last adjustments.

"Not quite. Blossom brought bad news," Marianne murmurs. "Plum disappeared sometime this morning."

"What! But Plum said that...well, she didn't actually say that she'd attend but, but...ah, dung beetles!" Sunny groans.

"She'll probably show up tonight right before the party ends just to annoy you and Dawn with a very, very, long speech full of embarrassing anecdotes," Marianne remarks.

"Yeah, she probably will," Sunny mutters before laughing. "She won't be Plum if she doesn't bring up the dragonfly incident. That's like her favorite story."

"The dragonfly incident?" Bog repeats, getting curious as even the serious fairy valet snickers.

"Well, since you'll be going back to the Dark Forest shortly after the party starts, I guess it's okay to tell you right now," Sunny laughs. "It was right after I turned seven autumns old and I thought that I was old enough to be a dragonfly racer like my eldest brother, so I borrowed one of my dad's dragonflies."

"Borrow suggests that you had Morris' permission, which you didn't. As proven the day before when he told you that you were still too young," Marianne points out.

"Tattle-tale," Sunny mumbles. "Anyway, I accidentally picked the new breeding male that Dad had just traded for from the Shallow Cove, who had never actually been ridden before. He just looked too much like my brother's racer in the pre-dawn light."

Bog cringes and covers his face with his hand. This sounded too much like some goblin young ones back home and he already knew where this was headed.

"How many bones did you break?" Bog questions.

"Surprisingly, none," Marianne chuckles. "He kept a good grip on the saddle when the semi-feral dragonfly took off but that was also a big problem. The Shallow Cove breeder didn't name him White Lightning for nothing and it took the male less time to span the distance from Bulrush Stream to the palace than any of Morris' racers. Sunny's screaming had alerted the guards to the problem but when they managed to catch White Lightning, Sunny lost his grip and fell right into Plum's arms."

"Good thing she was heading to the castle just then or I would have been Sunny Squash. Although, at the time, I figured that I was safer with the crazy dragonfly than with her because the first thing she said was, 'Oh look, it's raining elves! What will they think of next?'," Sunny laughs. "I couldn't tell them who I was or where I was from since I was still shaken-up by everything, so Plum brought me here."

"And he's been sticking around ever since," Dagda teases before turning his attention to Marianne and Bog. "Well, since you two plan on talking to each other, check to make sure everything is ready while I go calm Dawn."

"Not so fast, Your Majesty!" Legios growls, looking pointedly at the elder king's rumpled collar.


	19. Chapter 19

"Was there anything specific you wanted to talk about or did you just want to escape your sister?" Bog questions as they walk toward the palace's inner courtyard.

"A bit of both, actually," Marianne admits. "Dawn's more worried about our wedding being perfect than she is about her own. I've had to remind her several times that we're already married and that this is just to acknowledge the Light Field custom, as well as letting the Light Field denizens show their approval."

"Sounds about as exhausting as me having to defend my kilt," he mutters.

"I, for one, highly approve of the kilt," she purrs, tugging on the tempting fabric.

Marianne laughs at the half-hearted glare she receives as Bog is forced to move the white stone-studded black leather belt back into place. She didn't know what it was about her husband's new formal wear but it gave him an added appeal.

The first time Bog put on the kilt after the tailor finished making it, several female goblins had giggled at her drooling expression and confessed that they did the same thing when their males gained the fatherhood symbol. It made no sense how putting even more layers on would make him more tantalizing but at least she wasn't alone in her appreciation. It only got worse when he added the sporran because the silver-colored iron chains supporting it and the light grey mouse fur on the front stood out among Bog's dark formal wear and drew her attention to precisely where the black leather pouch was positioned on her husband's body.

"So, what did you want to talk about that couldn't wait for later?" Bog asks.

"It's not that it can't wait for later but I had wanted to talk to you earlier and I forgot then, so I just don't want to forget again now that I remember," Marianne comments.

"To be fair, it's not like we had much time to talk between morning reports, finishing the Lughnasa festival arrangements, and you having to leave just after you females finished your purification baths," he murmurs.

"That's true," she hums. "Well, what I wanted to talk about is that I know you overheard what your mother and I were talking about this morning. I caught a glimpse of your wings leaving the archives when we went back into the main room."

"You weren't there when Puck woke up and when he couldn't find you in the washing chambers, he woke me up as well," Bog explains, nodding to their son walking on all fours ahead of them. "Nex had seen the two of you rushing toward the lower levels, saying something about nobody overhearing. I had a feeling that you were talking about something concerning Fen and the war but I couldn't fly fast enough to catch Puck until he was almost to the archive storage rooms. When I heard Mom talking about Mire, I knew my guess was right and kept Puck away."

"Why didn't you just come in?" Marianne questions.

"I know you needed to know but...it's just something everyone knows but doesn't talk about and I knew that if Mom knew I was there, she wouldn't talk about it either," he admits. "I also didn't want to see how you'd react when you realized that I'm a beast."

So she hadn't been imagining things this morning. Bog had seemed a bit upset but between Griselda's revelation of what happened to their kin and the buzz of activity for the day's events, she had just assumed it was from the painful memories being brought up. She was both right and wrong.

Time to get silly ideas out of his head.

Marianne grabs Bog's arm to turn him around to face her. She notices as Puck stops and turns back to them at their lack of movement but she keeps her eyes on Bog's startled expression.

"You are not a beast and I've never thought that of you!" Marianne states firmly before amending. "Well, except at first when I still believed that all goblins were the monsters of the old stories, but even then, you showed what a kind heart you have and I wasn't as upset over my supposed fate as I should have been."

"Mother told you about Dad and Fen's death, so you know what I've done. I've killed, Marianne!" Bog growls.

"That doesn't make you a beast," she soothes.

"I decapitated my own kin without mercy and you don't call that being a beast," he scoffs before noticing her confusion. "Right, Mother didn't tell you what all happened. We knew it was a trap, so we had the whole Dark Forest army waiting at the border of the two kingdoms as a threat and as a distraction. While the Placid Swamp was focused on the army, I tried to fly as fast and as undetected as I could toward where Mother said the Placid Swamp castle was but I arrived too late."

"That's not what your mother said," Marianne points out. "She said you saved her, so you weren't too late."

"Fen was dead, Dad was dying, and Mom just had her horns broken by the Titan King. I was too late!" Bog insists. "I couldn't stop the rage as I looked into the throne room and saw the Titan King approaching my injured mother. I smashed through the window without thinking and removed his head from him. I knew who he was but I felt no remorse at what I'd done. There was no way I was leaving Dad and Fen there, so I also had to kill all the others that tried to stop us from leaving. It took all of Dad's strength to fly back to the border and he had barely announced me as the new king before collapsing. My first act as king was to declare war and lead the charge after laying Fen next to Dad. Throughout all those months of war, we killed our opponents without mercy, never taking a prisoner alive. Don't you get it, Marianne, I've killed before and should the need arise, I will kill again. I am a beast!"

"And yet, you didn't kill me nine months ago...," she starts.

"That was differ...," he interrupts.

"...or Sunny when he was blocking your way to Dawn before I got there," Marianne continues, covering his lips with her fingers. "You didn't call your army to attack when the Light Field army invaded your kingdom with the intent of attacking and you didn't even try to kill Roland when he actually did attack you. You gave Cu-Sith, of all creatures, mercy six months ago, giving it the option to flee when you had the very weapon to kill it easily. When a mischievous imp used a love potion on your subjects to create enough chaos to start a war three months ago, not only did you not kill him or even harm him when you caught him, you adopted him and called him your son."

Marianne smiles warmly as Puck jumps up to burrow against Bog's neck and lets out a loud purr as he hugs the elder male. Her heart warms further as Bog lays a hand against Puck's back while the other hand strokes the black patch of fur on the little male imp's head. She loves it when Bog shows what a good father he is.

For spirit's sake, she swears that if she wasn't already carrying his infant, she'd hurry up and ensure that she would be!

She quickly shakes away the tempting plans that would probably make them either very late to their own wedding or miss it entirely. Definitely would not be a good idea, no matter how much of an enticing idea it is.

"What I'm trying to say, is that you don't have a killer's heart," Marianne murmurs, moving her hand to place over his strong heart. "You were only doing what you had to do to protect the ones you care about."

"Isn't that the same thing that Mom told you this morning?" Bog mutters dryly.

"Yes, and it applies to you as well," she argues. "It's kind of like we discussed before, if you had wanted to kill me, or anyone else for that matter, you would have."

"So, you're not mad at me for keeping information like this from you?" he questions quietly. "I mean, about the upcoming meeting and all."

"You weren't planning on not telling me about the meeting and going alone, were you?" Marianne asks instead.

"I hadn't planned anything actually," Bog admits sheepishly. "I knew you needed to know and I wasn't trying to keep it from you but I try to avoid even thinking about the Placid Swamp and everything connected with them unless I have to. Dad and Fen's death was hard on all of us, especially me and Mom."

"That's understandable. No, I'm not mad and I wasn't mad when Griselda mentioned that I hadn't been told. I also understand if you don't want me to come with but that's not to say that I will listen and obediently obey," she murmurs, grinning at his chuckling before taking one of his hands and continuing back down the corridor. "So, what does this meeting consist of?"

"Exactly what Mom said. The Dark Forest army shows up at the border between the kingdoms to remind them that we won't leave enough of them alive to feed a raven the next time we fight while I have a 'pleasant' talk with their present king, the Dyke King," he answers. "He's Mom's youngest half-brother, just a little older than me actually, and the only one to survive the war since he didn't participate in the plot to capture Fen."

"I thought your mom said that you didn't know what happened," Marianne mentions.

"Yes and no. I knew what Fen was doing during all those times he disappeared without explanation but we didn't tell Mom and Dad. You see, Fen had already fought against both the Light Field and the Placid Swamp in the usual border skirmishes and when I bested him in the trials, he asked me what I was planning on doing about increasing border security. I told him that I wanted to try and get peace with the other kingdoms. I figured that he thought that I was naive when I explained my ideas but he didn't," Bog explains. "We had it all planned. I would be king and he'd be my counselor and together we'd bring peace to our kingdoms."

"But neither of you thought to wait until you became king to get started, right?" she guesses.

"Mire, Fen, and I used to get into so much trouble just because we were so impetuous. If it seemed like a good idea, we did it," he chuckles fondly before sighing and smiling sadly. "Fen said that he was just going to test the Placid Swamp's receptiveness to the idea. He offered them peace talks on behalf of the future Bog King. He knew not to trust them and he knew not to cross the border but somehow they still managed to get him and all those that knew how that happened either died that day or during the war. I wanted my ruling reign to be of peace and life but instead, I got war and death."

"You do have peace with both the Light Field and the Placid Swamp, just like you wanted," Marianne points out, pausing briefly in her walk to lean up and kiss his cheek. "It's the same thing you told me two nights ago when you were reassuring me. Some creatures don't want peace and the only way to get peace with them is to make them afraid of angering you. You didn't cause that war or those deaths, the Placid Swamp did when they refused peace."

"It took me a long time but I realized that nine months ago, thanks to you," Bog admits, laughing slightly at her look of confusion. "You offered peace when war was approaching and truthfully, I was scared to accept it because of what happened before. I was sure something would go wrong but you stood firm in your decision and fought to prove it, willing to fight even your own people for what you believed in."

"Some things are worth fighting for," she comments. "It's a pity that your brother didn't think to start the peace talks with the Light Field first."

"Well, with the bad blood that's always been between the Dark Forest and the Light Field, we figured that we'd have a better chance with the Placid Swamp because up until Fen's murder, the only problem that we had with them is their habit of trying to expand their borders," Bog mentions.

"I am kind of surprised that you didn't just take control of the Placid Swamp when you won the war, though," Marianne murmurs. "Being King of the Placid Swamp is not only your birthright because of your mother but it would have been your right to put them under tribute because of their crime and subsequent loss."

"Too much a hassle! Gives me a headache just thinking about it," he groans, smirking at Puck's cackling. "Even though they were once part of the Dark Forest long ago before the great famine, those goblins aren't like those of the Dark Forest. They'd be exactly like what the old stories told about Dark Forest goblins during the time of the Zircon King's ruling bloodline if they weren't so lazy. Not only are they lazy but they're also treacherous, rapacious, and selfish, even to their own. They hoard things away just for themselves and only give to their kin because they believe that they belong to them as well. It would be a prosperous kingdom but every goblin is only looking out for themselves and what they can gain for themselves. It's why no one cared when the Titan King gave their last true royal-blood as a blood-gift to a rival king or why no one cared when his other offspring died mysteriously, females when they were still young and males whenever they tried to usurp their sire. They didn't even care when the Titan King revealed that Mom was the crown princess they thought was killed years earlier."

"They sound just as bad as the Reavers," she mutters as they walk into the decorated inner courtyard.

"The Reavers?" Bog repeats.

"You remember what I told you about the mess that caused my grandfather to imprison Plum?" Marianne questions.

"A male fairy named Jacknick used one of Plum's potions on your grandmother, which resulted in Queen Titania divorcing your grandfather and disowning her son so that she could marry him. You didn't explain exactly what happened afterward, though," he points out.

"Why didn't I...oh, that's right! Stuff and Thang interrupted to inform us about that stoat trying to get into the meat storage rooms at the hunting burrow. Despite how much I love our new winter blanket, I still say that taming one would be beneficial," she hints.

"And I still say that it's not worth the hassle," Bog argues. "Now quit trying to convince me that you need a stoat as a royal mount and get back to what we were discussing."

"Spoilsport," Marianne mutters, smirking at her husband and son's laughter. "Well, the Reavers were a large band of travelers that passed through the Light Field every year during the reign of the past three kings. They always caused some kind of trouble, scuffles and thefts, nothing too serious but enough to make some higher officials think of tying them up and offering them to the Dark Forest as presents."

"Considering what your people thought of us back then, that sounds like they were more than a nuisance," he comments.

"The Reavers usually only stayed for a few weeks in autumn before moving on, so they were tolerated since they never stayed long. Jacknick was their unofficial king. They didn't have a royal bloodline, just whoever managed to take control and keep it," she explains, pausing only a moment to look over the arriving guests. "As far as anyone can tell, Jacknick must have assumed that he would become King of the Light Field after marrying Grandmother because he was furious when he discovered that Grandpa was the royal-born and Grandmother was back to being a commoner. So, he abandoned her when the Reavers left the Light Field and threatened to kill her if she followed them."

"You're right, they do sound like the Placid Swamp goblins," Bog growls.

"No one knew that she had been love-dusted, so they assumed her actions were her own but even those that hated her for how she abandoned her husband and son couldn't help feeling sorrowful for her over how heartbroken she was. Grandpa loved her too much to let her suffer, so he made sure that she was taken care of and tried to comfort her like the friends they once were but she didn't live past two weeks," Marianne murmurs. "It wasn't until the next autumn when the Reavers returned that Grandpa found out what really happened. What's worse, they had come back that year with a plan of attacking the kingdom. Grandpa spared the innocent but there weren't that many of them left alive."

"And that's when King Elatha imprisoned Plum?" he asks.

"He hadn't planned to since she was only the maker of the potion but then he found out that she knew what Jacknick was planning to do and she hadn't cared. That Plum is far different than the Plum you know," she explains at Bog's shocked look. "Even Plum will say that she was evil then and while she won't talk about the things that she did, she will admit that she did terrible things with no remorse."

"It's kind of hard to imagine Plum as being anything but crazy and mildly annoying," Bog mutters

"Plum is like a second mother to me and practically the only mother Dawn can really remember, so I know what you mean," Marianne admits. "How can any creature that would willingly return to the place where they were imprisoned for twenty springs just to comfort their captor's grieving son have been evil? But Plum was. I had once gotten Grandpa to reveal that for weeks after her capture, everyone in the Light Field had nightmares of Plum destroying the kingdom and killing everyone in it. They had thought it was a coincidence until they had realized that it was Plum who was causing them and they stopped it by managing to block her magic from escaping the enchanted prison she was in."

"Plum can manipulate dreams?" he questions in shock.

"I told you that her magic is unique," she remarks. "She was the only one who could soothe Dawn's nightmares after Mom died, which made her sudden arrival very welcome to everyone in the palace after a few weeks of being woken up in the middle of the night by Dawn's screaming. It's why Grandpa didn't protest about her return to the kingdom and silenced those who tried to stop her involvement with us."

Marianne pauses in her walk as she notices one of the fairy councilmembers looking far too jovial. Not that there is a problem with being happy but this particular one is known for having a dark cloud hovering almost constantly over him, the cynical sourpuss. Besides, he's looking more smug than being truly happy.

She motions the on-duty Hadrian toward them and maneuvers them more out of sight.

"Just what has Councilor Wesley so happy?" Marianne asks quietly.

"He heard the news about the Sugar Plum Fairy not coming to the wedding," Hadrian murmurs.

"That would make him happy, the old son-of-a...," Marianne starts to growl before glaring at the owner of the long-clawed fingers covering her mouth.

"Don't worry. He's already been warned to wipe the smug grin off his face before the ceremony starts," Hadrian soothes, knowing better than to let his humor show around Marianne. "Sister is making sure that he remembers and she's threatened to kick him out of the palace if he mentions anything about his dislike of the Sugar Plum Fairy today, especially in front of Princess Dawn."

"Tell Sepphira that she has my full approval," Marianne remarks after removing Bog's fingers. "In fact, tell Councilor Wesley that if he can't let things alone, especially settled things, I will personally make sure that his outdated and stilted counsel doesn't darken another council meeting again. You can also tell anyone else who may need telling, that if anything goes wrong today and my little sister's happiness is ruined by anything, the instigator will have one very angry Dark Forest queen making it regret its life-choices."

"My vicious queen!" Bog purrs as a laughing Hadrian flies off to fulfill his mission.

"Thanks for the compliment," she chuckles. "Now, let's go check to make sure everything is perfect for my little sister's wedding."


	20. Chapter 20

"What! Why didn't you tell me?!" Bog roars, towering over his short mother and ignoring the startled looks.

"Because it's all under control," Griselda comments. "Besides, you would have left before the ceremony to deal with it and that would be such a pity to miss your own wedding."

"Marianne and I are already married. This was just repeating our acceptance vows to abide by the Light Field custom and to allow the Light Field denizens to express their approval," Bog reminds with strained patience before turning to Stuff and Thang. "Why didn't you two tell me earlier?"

"Griselda told us not to tell you until after the ceremony finished," Thang whimpers.

Griselda chuckles as her son turns the glare back to her. This brought back such fond memories of the temper tantrums he had as a young one. The scowling pout, the rattling shoulder spurs, the flared wings, and his impressive attempt at appearing terrifying, her youngest was born to be king.

"Bog, what's the problem?" Marianne asks after hurrying over with Puck in her arms.

"Nothing, little thistle," Griselda reassures. "Bog is just overreacting."

"Overreacting?" Bog repeats with a growl. "How am I overreacting when there's a Placid Swamp envoy at the castle and you chose not to tell me when you arrived before the ceremonies started?!"

"What! Griselda!" Marianne yells, joining Bog in glaring at the elder female.

"Now don't you start too," Griselda huffs. "Everything is fine. The elders are keeping the envoy occupied and everyone else is keeping their guard up. They've already been told that the King and Queen of the Dark Forest had duties to attend to and that it's their own fault for having to wait since they didn't inform of their arrival. We figured to treat them hospitably so they can't say we broke the treaty but that doesn't mean they can't be made to wait longer than an official visit would permit."

"You're being very calm about this," Marianne mutters.

"Everyone is on the lookout in case they try anything but since no messenger came to retrieve us then everything is fine. Also, before I left, I took the liberty to inform them that the Dark Forest is now joined to the Light Field by mateship, with the included implication of the combined armies," Griselda mentions with a smirk. "If they were planning something, they've probably changed their minds by now."

"Just as we were leaving, Grandfather Onyx was happily telling them all about the both of you fighting Cu-Sith six months ago," Kyanite comments.

"They looked absolutely terrified," Romulus chuckles.

"Did they even say why they came?" Bog questions.

"Apparently their patrolling guards heard some interesting things from our side of the border and they wanted to know if there were any changes that would affect the meeting in three days," Stuff answers.

"The ceremony is over, so we can go ahead and leave now. I'll go tell Dad and get our weapons," Marianne murmurs, handing the clinging Puck over to Bog.

"But didn't you say that the first part of today's festival was to celebrate those who've been mated since last Lammas?" Thang asks.

"Yes, but we don't have to attend, especially if it will interfere with our Dark Forest duties," Marianne answers.

"Don't worry, those Placid Swamp pests can wait a little longer," Griselda comments. "It's just a little past midday, so go and enjoy yourselves. I'll handle things back home."

"Mom..." "Griselda..."

"I mean it!" Griselda insists, cutting off Bog and Marianne's protests. "Besides, just like you said for your reason to have a Light Field wedding, you should go to the Lammas party to allow the Light Field denizens the opportunity to show you their approval of your union. You spend almost all your time in the Dark Forest but you both are also Light Field royalty. I know it's a lot of responsibility on your shoulders but that's no excuse to push aside your obligations to your other subjects."

Griselda smothers the sly smirk wanting to rise as Bog and Marianne's faces reflect their indecision and guilt. It may have been a dirty trick to make them think they are failing their duties in some way but it's for their own good. She'll just reassure them later after everything is settled.

"By the way, where is Plum? I wanted to speak to her but I didn't see her anywhere," Griselda remarks.

"Plum disappeared this morning. Don't worry, she does this," Marianne quickly reassures. "Despite her appearance yesterday, Plum never shows up to any event the Light Field has. It's not that we forbid her, it's just that...well, Plum isn't exactly accepted by every Light Field denizen and it tends to cause some...problems if she hangs around too much."

Furrowing her brows, Griselda tries not to curse her bad luck out loud. As strange as it was for Plum not to come to the wedding when yesterday she told her that she was so excited for today and wouldn't miss it for the world, the crazy female's disappearance made Griselda's present task much harder.

Maybe she should tell Dagda?

No, that would take too much time. Plan B it is.


	21. Chapter 21

Furrowing his brows, Dagda combs through his beard out of a nervous habit. Something isn't right and he's sure that it isn't his imagination.

There should have been more goblins in attendance but he had only seen Griselda and several goblins that he recognized as royal guards and the royal stewards. He was sure that several elders had expressed their desire to attend a Light Field wedding yesterday. It was why Plum took it upon herself to educate the goblins on how to act during the ceremony.

That was another thing.

Plum should have been here. She swore that she would be and fae like her can't break their promises without consequences. He couldn't even sense her nearby like he always could whenever she attended the events secretly. This time she wasn't anywhere near and he had a feeling that she isn't even in the kingdom at all.

He tried his best to make sure that his daughters didn't notice his worry throughout the ceremony, especially Dawn. His little girl was so distressed over thinking that she had made Plum feel not welcomed over her admittedly childish behavior concerning postponing the wedding these past three months. He had to reassure her multiple times before the ceremonies started that Plum hadn't taken it to heart.

He knows she didn't because Plum couldn't stop giggling over how cute the younger daughter was acting at being denied what she wanted, reminiscing that it was just like the time Nurse Aida washed Dawn's favorite doll and refused to let her have it back until it dried. No, Plum would not miss out on today.

Something is very wrong.

"Dad!" Marianne calls, breaking him out of his musing.

"Huh? Marianne, what's wrong?" Dagda questions.

"I should be asking you that," she comments worriedly. "I called you four times."

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I was just thinking, that's all," he murmurs.

"About what?" Marianne asks.

"About...where's Griselda going?" Dagda evades, noticing the goblin mother leaving on her dragonfly.

"That's not answering my question. What are you thinking about that caused you to not hear me?" she questions.

"It's just that...it's nothing," he sighs. "I didn't sleep well last night, so my mind is wandering a bit. Now, why did Griselda leave? I thought you were staying for the first part of the Lammas party."

"If you're sure...," Marianne starts, getting a nod. "Well, there seems to be some trouble back home and Griselda went back to deal with it."

"What kind of trouble?" Dagda asks uneasily.

"An envoy from the Placid Swamp arrived shortly after I left to come here," Bog explains, walking closer. "Mother doesn't think it's serious enough to interrupt our duties here, though, so we'll return home when we planned to."

"I know we want you to be here but you don't have to stay if this is interfering with your royal duties," Dagda murmurs.

"We know but Griselda is right, we have two royal duties to fulfill and we shouldn't keep pushing aside our duties to the Light Field over the Dark Forest," Marianne comments.

Griselda told them that?!

Now, he knows something is wrong. Not only is Marianne and Bog handling their royal duties splendidly but the gobliness knew that the third day of Lammas is just one big party. They wouldn't even have had to come to the Light Field today if it wasn't for the wedding.

A quick look towards the Dark Forest royal guards adds to his suspicions. It's obvious to him that the queen mother is worried about something or there wouldn't be the need to add four more guards to the four that accompanied Marianne and Bog here.

"Marianne, Sunny is changing into his new royal clothes, would you please go make sure that Dawn isn't helping? We'll be late to start the party if they don't behave," Dagda hints.

"Meaning, you don't have a real excuse to be a spoilsport, so you want me to do it instead," Marianne teases.

"That's my girl!" Dagda laughs. "And you might as well pick up your weapons now, so you don't have to detour back here on your way home."

"I'll get the weapons, you deal with the new mates," Bog comments, handing Puck back to Marianne.

Dagda keeps the smile on his face as he watches the pair walk back into the palace but silently sends an order for his captains to come to him. Tigler is the first to respond to the telepathic link, dutifully taking the hint for secrecy and sends his family to the festival grounds without him before joining his king's side as he walks toward the Dark Forest royal guards.

"My king?" Tigler questions as the other captains join them.

"I think our friends have something to tell us," Dagda murmurs.

"We were thinking that Queen Marianne would be the first to confront us," Kyanite remarks.

"So Griselda is trying to keep Marianne and Bog out of the Dark Forest," Dagda mutters.

"Just until she finds out what those Placid Swamp scum are up to. We're to keep the king, the queen, and the prince safe at all costs," Romulus states.

"Either Stuff or Thang will return once they've scouted out the situation. Our orders are to keep the royal family here until their return and then to try to...convince Her Majesty to stay here while we accompany the king back," Cynder explains hurriedly with a cringe.

"Little whirlwind won't tolerate that," Tigler laughs, the others joining the mirth.

"You're right," Dagda chuckles. "Just how much trouble is the Placid Swamp? The only thing I've heard Bog say about them is that they won't be open to a trading alliance."

The grunts and growls between the goblins is disconcerting, making the gathered Light Field captains shift uneasily. It must be bad if they're using goblin speech to discuss what to say.

"The goblins of that kingdom are dangerous," Fang finally answers. "They're responsible for a lot of deaths, including the former King of the Dark Forest, the Loch King and his elder son, Prince Fen."

"We were at war with them seven years ago and when we won, the Bog King forced them to sign a treaty," Apatite continues before baring her sharp teeth in a snarl. "It wouldn't be the first time they've broken their word."

"Is there a chance of a renewed war between your kingdoms?" Captain Miles asks, getting a nod. "Sire, I would like to suggest that we also prepare for the possibility of battle. If anything, we know Princess Marianne might not be cooperative because of the danger the Dark Forest is in."

"Agreed but I don't want to raise a panic. We don't even know if there is a danger yet, so each of you take your most trusted fighters and quietly transport any needed weapons to the festival grounds," Dagda orders. "That way we are prepared for whatever news is brought back."

"And the princess?" Captain Henna questions.

"The Dark Forest has the backing of the Light Field, so Marianne should abide by Griselda's plan of keeping her here," Dagda murmurs. "And if not, then I order that whichever of you are closer to her at the time to restrain her!"


	22. Chapter 22

"So?" Marianne questions quietly, trying not to alert the pair following them.

"Either Mom gave the guards orders to tell your father or she didn't give orders not to tell him," Bog murmurs. "I couldn't get close enough to hear without alerting them to my presence but I did notice that all the Light Field subjects that gathered after we left were captains of the army."

"So, Griselda is more worried about the Placid Swamp then she let on. Not that I blame her after what she told me but why didn't she just say something?" she growls.

"We'll ask her later," he comments before cringing as he tentatively continues. "Marianne, I know you're not going to like this but..."

"If you're planning on suggesting that I stay here while you return home alone then you might as well be quiet before I punch you again," Marianne mutters.

Bog groans at the threat. He knows that she'll do it but that didn't stop him from wishing that she'd agree without a fuss. He really doesn't want her near any of those Placid Swamp goblins while their motives are unknown.

It worried him to know those pests were back in his castle and the worry increased to near panic when his mother insisted on going back alone with only Stuff and Thang. To add the thought of Marianne and Puck getting within reach of their grubby claws...it wrenches his heart.

Maybe if he used Puck and the infant. It's an underhanded trick but with how clinging Puck has been since this morning, surely Marianne could be convinced to stay where it's safer.

"I see you separated the newlyweds before the sun set," Dagda teases as they walk into the outer courtyard.

"Ha, ha, Daddy," Dawn mutters dryly. "Hey, where'd Griselda go?"

"She went back to the Dark Forest with Stuff and Thang," Marianne answers. "We do have the Lughnasa festival tonight and the mating ceremony, which Stuff and Thang are participating in this time."

"Wait, you mean they're not married? I thought they were," Sunny comments.

"With them both being royal stewards, they thought that they couldn't become mates because of the mateship laws unless one or both of them quit their position. Of course, the silly pair didn't think to tell anyone that was their reason or it would have been explained earlier that they can become mates without jeopardizing their positions," Bog explains.

"No one asked, either, so it's not just their fault," Marianne points out.

"Today is so exciting!" Dawn giggles, jumping into the air and barrel-rolling. "Not only did we get married today but so are a lot of others and it feels incredible! We should bring back the Lammas weddings!"

"No!" Dagda and Marianne state firmly.

"Spoilsports," Dawn huffs.

"The Lammas weddings were canceled for a reason, Dawn. Last thing we need is another feud war caused by some irresponsible love-struck youths that decided to get married on impulse," Marianne argues.

"I wasn't talking about bringing back the trial marriages. I meant having group weddings, kinda like what the Dark Forest has," Dawn counters. "It'd be fantastic!"

"Plus, it would be kind of a step closer to having the two kingdoms more adapting to each other's customs," Sunny points out. "It's a small change and not something that has to be mandatory but it's a start."

"Why don't you two look into it and bring it up at the next council meeting," Dagda suggests, urging his squirrel mount to move. "See how many are in favor of individual ceremonies and how many would prefer a group wedding."

"We could start asking around today to get an idea of the response," Dawn murmurs.

"Today is for you to enjoy," Marianne chuckles, grabbing at Dawn's gold-embroidered blue-tinted white wedding dress before quickly flying out of reach. "No work for you or Sunny."

"You are like the biggest hypocrite ever!" Dawn laughs, chasing after.

Bog laughs as he watches the sisters twirl about playfully in the air before joining the female sprites, the female pixies, and the other female fairies dancing above the festival grounds. But despite the jovial atmosphere, he can't shake the uneasiness laying heavy against him and he looks in the direction of his home with trepidation.

He can only pray that he'll be able to keep them all safe.


	23. Chapter 23

"Alright, what's going on?" Marianne growls.

It took a while to sufficiently distract Dawn and Sunny away but Marianne finally managed to corner her father without any Light Field denizen being able to overhear. She wasn't going to accept any completely obvious attempts at avoiding her questions this time.

"It's nothing to...," Dagda tries.

"Don't try it, Dagda, I know my mother," Bog interrupts. "Remus and Apatite came with Marianne this morning while Dax and Adder came with me, so there's no reason for Romulus, Kyanite, Fang, and Cynder to stay as well, unless Mom is expecting trouble."

"It's just a precaution," Dagda sighs. "How about you two go enjoy the festivities and I'll...we'll explain it later?"

"Why not explain it now?" Marianne questions, drawing herself up like the displeased reigning royal she is.

She manages to not smirk triumphantly as the royal guards start squirming uneasily but it's almost a difficult task to keep her stern expression, especially once the goblins start whimpering their submission. Bog's growing satisfied smirk doesn't help and neither does Puck's attempt at stifling his chuckling by covering his long snout with both hands.

"Can't it wait until Stuff or Thang returns?" Cynder whimpers.

"We already know that Griselda isn't as unconcerned about the Placid Swamp envoy as she tried to pretend to be. That was pretty obvious. As was her intent at keeping us from returning to the Dark Forest. Explain now," Marianne orders.

Kyanite glares at the other guards and growls his displeasure when they unanimously take a step back away from the royals without him realizing it, leaving him alone at the front. A glance toward the king and queen makes him gulp and he heaves a deep sigh. This is why he preferred sentry duty.

"Griselda already explained most of it," Kyanite starts. "The part she didn't explain was that everyone decided that it would be for the best to keep you here until enough time passed to know for sure what the envoy was sent for. That's why Griselda went back with only Stuff and Thang. They will scout out the situation and one of them will return to notify the king if it's safe to go back."

"Notify the king?" Marianne repeats suspiciously.

Wincing at the growl that laced the female fairy's voice, Kyanite turns pleading eyes to both kings. He really didn't want to be the one to answer the unspoken question. He's newly mated, for spirit's sake, and he'd prefer to enjoy it for a lot longer.

"Griselda ordered the guards to keep you, Bog, and Puck here until news is brought back and then afterward make sure you and Puck stay here," Dagda states.

"I am not staying behind while Bog heads into possible danger alone!" Marianne argues.

"He won't be alone, Your Majesty," Fang denies. "All eight of us are accompanying him back."

"And he will be accompanied by a band of Light Field guards as well," Dagda adds. "I already gave the order to have weapons prepared in case there is trouble but even if it is clear, Bog will not be without guards. You and Puck are to stay here for at least a few days."

"But...," Marianne starts before sighing as Bog lays a hand on her shoulder.

"It's better this way, Marianne," Bog murmurs, laying his other hand on top of Puck's head. "You know it, too."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Marianne mutters. "I just found out about how bad those Placid Swamp goblins are and I'm sure it's probably worse than what you and Griselda told me."

"They caught us off-guard last time but it won't happen again," Apatite reassures. "It's safer for you to stay here until we know exactly what those scoundrels are up to. Trust us to protect the king while you protect Prince Puck and your infant."

Marianne sighs again at the words and weakens her unyielding posture as Apatite decides to use a 'motherly gaze' on her. If anyone could understand the dilemma she's feeling, it would be the older female. Apatite would have been in the army during the war and she was no doubt feeling pain at the knowledge that her old enemy is close to her children while she is too far away to protect them.

She may be a little reckless from time to time but she isn't stupid. She knows she has to think of the infant she's carrying, they depend on her to survive and she can't put herself in unnecessary danger. She also couldn't risk her sweet son.

"Alright, we'll stay," Marianne concedes softly, hugging Puck tightly against her. "And if there is any chance of trouble then I want all the Dark Forest children and non-fighters evacuated to the Light Field. It'll be safer here for them as well."

"That's a splendid idea, Marianne!" Dagda praises, echoing the guards. "I'm sure we can..."

Marianne furrows her brows as her father stops mid-speech and she turns to look in the direction he's scowling at. She can't stop the rush of fear as she notices the fog rolling closer.

It's just like her dream!


	24. Chapter 24

The eerie silence caused by the greyness makes the skin beneath Bog's carapace crawl. He can barely hear the sound of his own wings or even the sound of his guards' dragonfly mounts. It's as if the fog is absorbing sound just the same as it is with the light from the torches.

Bog grits his teeth as he narrowly evades another tree obscured by the thick fog. He couldn't slow down but at this rate, he's going to crash. A fate he couldn't let happen. They were depending on them, Marianne is depending on him, and he will not let them down.

Who knows how long they'll be able to last against such an enemy. Even now, it might already be too late.

He forces down the rising panic as he flies around another tree. They have to hurry and get reinforcements!

"We will not lose!" Bog growls lowly, tightening his grip on his royal scepter. "We can't!"

"Sire, we just passed Fern Gully," Dax calls out. "We'll be nearing the castle soon."

"Good. Can you smell anything ahead of us in this blasted fog?" Bog asks.

"I...I don't know," Dax whimpers. "I smell fire and something like burning rotten eggs but that doesn't make any sense."

Fire and burning rotten eggs?

Bog groans with the others as they get near enough to the source of the scent for the rest of them to smell. No wonder Dax sounded sick. It also made sense why he couldn't name it, the younger male has never been near the sulfur springs that were in the Placid Swamp. Although, even the sulfur springs never smelt this horrid.

What would smell like burning sulfur?

Oh, no! His dream!

"Sire! There's something up ahead between us and the castle," Cynder calls, panic lacing his voice. "It's huge!"

"Everyone land!" Bog orders.

They obey just in time as a flash of blue light illuminates the area even through the fog and they watch in horror as lightning reveals the source of the putrid scent, a large ghostly black-mangled-furred dog right in front of them with a glowing-golden-eyed raven perched on its head. A deafening sound forces them to cover their ears and they brace themselves against the ground at the rush of air pushing against them.

Opening his eyes, Bog can only moan in agony as he watches his castle, his home, burn and crumble from the force of the lightning strike. Wails from the royal guards echo his own when the structure collapses into the stream bed below.

His home, his people, his mother. All gone.

WHY?

He takes little comfort as the ghostly dog in front of them merely glances at them with its glowing red eyes before walking away and shifting into mist. Even the raven's insistent croaking to its disappearing companion being silenced by the bird flying into a fog-hidden tree gives him no relief.

Though, he would have found the sight hilarious had he paid more than a passing glance to the crumpled mass of feathers.

"Shuck! Don't leave me here!" the raven cries, shaking its head and stumbling unsteadily to its feet. "Shuck! I know you can hear me! At least remove the fog! You know I can't see through it like you and the others."

Others?

Right. How could he forget?!

Bog snarls toward the nearby disorientated bird and rattles his shoulder spurs as he stalks closer with his royal scepter ready to do damage. The day had gone from worrying to terrifying to heartbreaking and somebody deserved to feel his wrath.

A sentiment agreed by the rest of his companions as they too bare their teeth and claws, their heartbreak feeding their rage. Their satisfaction at the raven's panicked reaction at noticing their approach turns to confusion as the black-feathered bird morphs into a black-haired glowing-golden-eyed billy goat before leaping into the fogbound forest.

"A pooka?" Kyanite rumbles in confusion. "First those ones back in the Light Field and now Black Shuck and a pooka. Sire?"

"What do we do, Your Majesty?" Apatite questions, gazing at the smoldering ravine with tear-filled eyes.

"I...I don't know," Bog sighs.

He ignores the whimpers and the despair-laden moans as he closes his eyes. His home has been attacked and his mate is fighting desperately. If they don't return with water from the Sacred Spring soon, the Light Field and all in it will fall as well.

But how can he just leave when his people need him! There might be some survivors. Surely, some might have been able to make it to safety.

But he can't abandon his mate! He swore that he wouldn't let her fight alone again and that's precisely what he's doing right now.

What do I do?


	25. Chapter 25

Marianne pants as she finishes another wide arc around her opponent. She doesn't know how much longer she'll be able to keep this up. She can only pray that Bog and the Dark Forest army will arrive soon.

A cry of alarm nearby urges her wings into action toward the sound of distress. The dragonfly rider's predicament is revealed once she gets closer and she's forced to speed up, slamming her blade against the large white muzzle headed toward Captain Henna.

She barely acknowledges the adoring gratitude before they're both forced to fly quickly away from another large white muzzle appearing through the thick fog. Opening her mouth to scream, Marianne chuckles briefly instead as pained yelping emits from their attacker because of an arrow striking its glowing red eye.

"Are you okay, Marianne?" Dawn questions, moving to fly beside her while nocking another arrow from the quiver against her hip.

"Yeah, but..." Marianne starts before sighing. "How's everyone else doing?"

"No one has been injured but we're not going to be able to keep this up much longer," Dawn comments. "Marianne, are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should head back to the palace with the others."

"And leave you and Sunny here in charge? Not a chance," Marianne remarks. "I know I made that joke three days ago because of you playing Romeo and Juliet but you two are going to have a long happy marriage and I'm going to make these creeps feel a world of pain when Bog gets back with the water from the Sacred Spring."

"My sister, the violent one," Dawn chuckles before screaming. "Scatter!"

Marianne veers sharply up while Dawn drops toward the ground to avoid the gigantic hand appearing out of the fog. She can feel the strain on her wings as she's forced to maneuver quickly as the other hand joins in pursuit of her.

"Princess!" Marco calls just before he appears out of the fog to grab her and maneuvers both of them out from between the enclosing fingers.

She's barely able to thank him before they're forced to separate as the third Cwn Annwn makes its presence known and her frustration grows higher as Am Fear Liath Mor tries to capture her once more. It's starting to feel like they are being played with.

Marianne dives toward where the giant's legs should be and flies through the gap between them, smirking as Am Fear Liath Mor stumbles when he tries to reach for her and lands on two of the Cwn Annwn. Seems that the fog isn't putting just the Light Field fighters at a disadvantage.

Serves them right!

"Brillant move, Marianne!" Sunny laughs, sidling up on his dragonfly and keeping his whip at the ready.

"Thanks but I don't think it's enough to discourage them," Marianne mutters. "Has there been any signal flares from the palace yet? I've been too distracted to notice."

"Not yet but they should be there real soon," Sunny reassures. "Do you want to start pulling back?"

"We're going to have to. I don't know how much longer it'll take for Bog to return and I'm not going to be able to keep dodging like this," Marianne admits. "Relay the orders to start slowly retreating back to the palace."

Noticing a pole from the festival grounds through the fog, Marianne flies toward it as Sunny flies off to carry out his orders. Her wings are grateful for the reprieve as she lands but she keeps them at the ready as she keeps her attention directed toward the muted sound of movements positioned in front of her. She can only afford a moment's rest but hopefully, she'll be able to get her strength back before they notice her.

Marianne sighs heavily as she lays her free hand against her stomach, feeling reassurance from the responding fluttery movements. How did the day become this?

Even with the turmoil of this morning from bad dreams and painful past revelations, it was a carefree and happy sort of day. She bantered with her husband, endured her mother-in-law's fretting, played with her son, teased her sister and brother-in-law, and lovingly tormented her father. All-in-all, a very normal day.

It happened so fast. One minute they were enjoying the festive day and then they heard the worrying news concerning the Placid Swamp, which was mild compared to the terror that erupted when the mountain fae made their entrance.

In a sense, they need to thank the Placid Swamp envoy or they wouldn't have been prepared when the real threat appeared as the fog rolled closer to the festival grounds to reveal the shadowed figures of Am Fear Liath Mor and three Cwn Annwns in its midst. Weapons were easily retrieved and the fastest flying fighters were armed. Even Dawn and Sunny had their weapons ready, demanding that they be allowed to help and refusing to join those evacuating to the palace.

Marianne chuckles slightly at the remembrance of her shock when Sunny removed his whip and Dawn's bow set from the pack he brought with him from the palace. The pair was more observant then anyone gave them credit for.

"Marianne, look out!"

Turning her head, she can only watch in horror as a large black muzzle approaches her from behind.


	26. Chapter 26

Realizing his warning came too late, Bog pushes his wings to fly faster and he slams his royal scepter hard against Black Shuck's snout just before it reaches the frozen female fairy. He pays no attention as the large dog stumbles but quickly pulls Marianne against him before flying away.

"Are you okay, Marianne?" Bog questions worriedly.

"Better now that you're here," Marianne murmurs, laying her head against his chest. "I was beginning to get a little worried."

A swiping white paw keeps Bog from being able to respond and he veers sharply to the left to avoid the large white muzzle following. He clutches Marianne tighter as he dodges another Cwn Annwn's attack before dropping to fly barely above the ground to avoid Black Shuck's retaliation.

"Above you!" Sunny warns.

Bog barrel rolls to avoid the grasping hand but the swishing black horse's tail disorientates him enough for the human hands to cover around him, encasing them in a dark prison.

"Caught you!" the pooka cackles before crying in pain as a whip snaps against his wrists. "Don't you know that's not nice!"

Sunny ignores the complaint and urges his dragonfly to approach the human-like creature again. He smirks as glowing golden eyes widen before filling with tears while the source of the pooka's pain escapes from the opening between his bleeding hands.

"And that's why trying to restrain Marianne is dangerous for your health," Sunny quips as Bog and Marianne catch up to him.

"What's more dangerous to one's health is giving the launderer formal clothes that have bloodstains on them but at least with this dress you can't really tell the difference," Marianne remarks, slashing her royal sword in a quick motion to remove the blood. "That would have been a lot cleaner if you had just used the Sacred Spring's water, Bog."

"I don't have any," Bog admits. "Black Shuck, it had...the castle, it's gone, Marianne."

"What?" Marianne whispers in disbelief.

"The castle has been destroyed," Bog murmurs, grabbing her against him again as she falters in the air and he lets his own tears fall as her tears soak through his vest.

"You mean that...that the goblins are...oh, dung beetles!" Sunny moans at Bog's nod.

"We arrived just as that devil dog...," Bog tries to explain.

Dawn's warning scream pierces through the air and only quick maneuvering saves them from being crushed as Am Fear Liath Mor is made to stumble again. This time, the giant figure traps all four monstrous dogs beneath his gigantic form, letting the Light Field fliers rest as they regroup on the ground a distance away.

"Neat trick, huh? Got the idea from what you did, Princess Marianne," Hadrian chuckles. "That should buy us several minutes."

"Boggy, you're here!" Dawn squeals as she pulls the last arrow from her quiver. "What's the plan of attack?"

"There is no plan," Bog mutters. "The Dark Forest castle has been destroyed. Black Shuck attacked it with lightning and there's nothing left except a smoldering pile of rubble."

"And your people?" a male sprite guard asks hesitantly.

"The castle is the safest place in the event of an attack and if they saw the danger approaching, everyone would have fled there," Bog explains.

Despite the horror of the situation, Bog takes comfort from the expressions of sorrow and dismay lining the faces before him. Just last Lughnasa they were enemies that would have rejoiced at this kind of destruction on the Dark Forest and now they mourned for those lost as they would mourn for the loss of their own. Only the muffled complaints from the pooka as he tries to untangle his companions keep everyone from falling into full despair.

"How much more time do we have left, Cecil?" Sepphira questions the sprite guard.

"Just a few minutes more, I'm afraid," Cecil murmurs, his antennas flickering toward the fog-hidden group of mountain fae. "Maybe less. They'll be free very soon."

"Have the rest of the Light Field denizens made it to the palace yet?" Bog asks.

"We don't know," Captain Henna answers, soothing her agitated dragonfly. "Either the signal flares can't be seen through this fog or they haven't been lit. King Dagda hasn't sent a message either and I'm beginning to think that this fog is also blocking our magic."

"It's your decision, Your Highnesses," Captain Miles comments. "What do we do?"

"The only thing we can do. Retreat," Bog states, hugging Marianne tighter and closing his eyes. "I left my guards behind to search for any survivors and to get water from the Sacred Spring but there's no telling how long it'll take them to arrive. I'll keep these monsters distracted while you get to safety."

"You can't!" Marianne yells as she pulls out of Bog's arms, echoing a dozen protests.

"It's the only way!" Bog argues. "You're all tired and you know it. If any of you stay behind, you won't last long."

"Neither will you against all six of them. It's suicide," Marianne growls.

"I know," Bog admits softly, opening watery blue eyes to stare into angry ambers. "Marianne, please. Our young need you."


	27. Chapter 27

Unable to keep her angry front up, Marianne collapses back into Bog's arms and buries her face against his neck as she clings to him with her free hand.

"They need you too! I need you!" Marianne cries. "You can't do this! There has to be another way!"

"There isn't," Bog mumbles into her hair, not caring as her crown scratches him. "I know I'm asking a lot of you to raise our young without me but it's what I'm doing if I...if I don't make it."

Marianne doesn't bother listening as the other's express their own arguments, she can only cling to her husband as his free hand brushes against her swollen stomach in a last caress. A husband she's only known and had for nine months. A husband she loves more than she could even describe. A husband who's given her two precious children, one that he sired and the other he saved. A husband that she's about to lose.

It isn't fair!

WHY? What could these monsters possibly hope to gain from their attack?

Almost every goblin she's come to know and love over the past nine months is dead. The royal guards lost their mates, children, and families. Griselda will never see the birth of her son's infant.

She resists Bog's insistent pulling for her to release him. Now she knows how Puck felt when she forced him to go back to the palace with her father when they evacuated the festival grounds. How could she let go when this may very well be the last time she sees him?

"Marianne," Bog pleads. "You have to go now!"

"I'm...I'm not...I'm not strong enough, Bog," Marianne whimpers.

"You are strong! You're strong and feisty and wild and chaotic. You're a wild thing," Bog quips, chuckling slightly.

Marianne returns the chuckle weakly before choking on a sob and squeezing her eyes shut. She doesn't feel strong. Her wings feel heavy against her back and she could barely breathe from the pain radiating from her heart.

Renewed growling alerts the somber group to their opponents' moving and Cecil calls out the warning. Her home is gone, her people attacked and killed, and now they're going to take away her love as well.

It's hopeless.


	28. Chapter 28

Bog winces against the stinging bright light and slowly opens his eyes. He's not sure what happened but one minute he was savoring the last few seconds with his mate and the next, screams filled the air as amber light erupted around them. He had clung to Marianne, refusing to let her be separated from him but while he heard the rush of power, nothing knocked against them.

Hope stirs within his heart as he sees that the fog is completely gone from the kingdom and the mid-summer sun shines radiantly in the cloudless sky. Before he can assume that it is all over, Bog notices the mountain fae a short distance away and he can't help the smirk that forms at their distressed figures.

Whatever happened was not their doing. The four large dogs are whimpering as they scratch at their eyes, Am Fear Liath Mor is wailing softly with his large hands covering his face as his giant hairy figure crouches against the ground, and the pooka has the front half of his black-furred rabbit body stuffed in the hollow space that acted as the stage of the festival grounds' amphitheater.

Bog quickly searches for the others and nearly panics at their missing forms until a gasp from Marianne causes him to look down. He blinks once, twice, and a third time as he tries to process what his eyes are telling him. They are all still in the same place they were when the amber light flashed except...they aren't.

Maybe he's unconscious. He's heard tell that the dying envisioned weird things.

Marianne touches his face hesitantly and he flinches slightly as her long fingers wipe blood away from a shallow cut on his cheek. It couldn't be a vision if he could feel the pain. But this doesn't make any sense and it makes even less sense as he takes a good look at the figure within his arms.

The fiery amber eyes staring in shock at him are the same, as is the shaded brown hair that the jeweled wooden crown sits upon. In fact, everything is the same...except her wings are gone and she's also at least five feet taller.

"Bog?" Marianne questions.

"Aye, it's me," Bog mutters, turning his attention to look at his own altered appearance.

At first glance, it doesn't seem that he changed that much different besides the obvious change in size as the still-shorter-than-him Marianne gazes up at him but he soon notices that his wings are gone as well. His carapace also feels weird, almost like it is no longer part of him, his claws are replaced by short blunt nails, and he jumps slightly as Marianne reaches up to comb through the hair entrapped by his wooden jeweled crown.

"Okay, so we look...different and I have no idea how but I vote we figure it out later," Marianne suggests, swinging her enlarged royal sword as she moves out of his embrace.

Bog grins as he twirls his enlarged royal scepter before turning to the red-eyed dogs staring at them. He easily takes a step over the shocked crowd at their feet and one more step brings him in striking distance.

"Agreed!" he growls, swinging his royal scepter down against Black Shuck and relishing in its cry of pain.

He grins savagely as the tables are turned and now the mountain fae are taking the defensive as Marianne joins the attack, her blade nicking a Cwn Annwn's side and painting the white fur the same red as its red-furred ears. The dogs had the advantage of size and concealment before but not anymore.

The cheering behind them makes him question the Light Field fighters' survival instinct but he could understand why they didn't want to take cover now. They fought these monsters until they ran out of hope and they weren't about to miss retribution.

Noticing Am Fear Liath Mor's sluggish movements toward the fighting Marianne, Bog quickly disconnects the sporran chain from the kilt belt before removing it from the belt loop on his sporran and he slams the iron chain against the giant's reaching hand as he also swings his royal scepter against an approaching Cwn Annwn. Both attacks have their desired effect and he twirls the chain in warning against another sneak attack.

Am Fear Liath Mor moans at the pain and barely manages to not hold the iron-afflicted appendage to himself as he stumbles away from the threat. Without his full-sight, he's at a severe disadvantage and he curses that amber light for driving away the spelled fog. They should have waited for nightfall like they originally planned but how could they have known that this lesser fae had so much power! Cu-Sith spoke only of the iron-water and nothing of such magic that was strong enough to restrain all of their combined power.

"I'll not forgive you for what you've done, you cursed hound," Marianne growls, barely missing a whimpering Black Shuck with her blade.

"How dare you invade my lands and destroy my home!" Bog adds, barely missing a yelping Cwn Annwn with the iron chain. "How dare you attack and kill my people!"

"Look out behind you!" Dawn screams.

Bog swings his royal scepter on instinct but he's forced to duck as the great dog jumps over both the weapon and him. He quickly turns to face the new threat and moves to shield Marianne from the green eyes staring back at them.

"Oh, spirits, no!" Marianne groans in dismay.

Just as he's about to reassure her that he will not let Cu-Sith near her again, Bog notices that she's staring in the direction that the death hound had come from and his heart plummets at the sight of the Light Field palace.

No. It couldn't be.

But what other answer was there as to why the signal flares weren't lit than that those evacuated to the palace never made it.

Bog pays no mind to Cu-Sith's cowering posture and whimpers of submission. He ignores as the injured black-furred and white-furred dogs take cover behind the crouching Am Fear Liath Mor. All he feels is a heartbroken-fueled rage, a rage echoed by Marianne as they both raise their weapons to attack.

"Marianne, Bog, stop!" Dagda yells.


	29. Chapter 29

Marianne can't help as her mouth drops and she turns her head to Bog while gesturing at the scene in front of them with her free hand. His shocked nod confirms that, no, she is not imagining things and her father really is standing on Cu-Sith's head.

Despite her uneasiness, she holds her ground as the bull-sized dog slowly walks over with its plaited tail tucked underneath it and its head lowered. It isn't acting as it did during their former encounter and even keeps its eyes adverted as it approaches to within touching distance of her outstretched hand.

She quickly moves her left-hand palm up to allow her father to step onto it and giggles as Puck escapes from his hold to run up her arm. But if she was shocked before, nothing could prepare her as a small black-furred imp appears out of Cu-Sith's shaggy dark green fur and chases after her son, catching and kissing him before giggling at his angry hissing.

"Dad?" Marianne questions.

"As I'm sure you've already guessed, Cu-Sith stopped us before we managed to make it to the palace but not to attack us," Dagda answers, turning back to Cu-Sith to urge a larger black-furred imp to join him on her hand. "There's been a misunderstanding. They think that you kidnapped Puck."

"What?" Bog mutters.

"Yes, yes, we're here to save the baby imp!" the pooka explains, finally managing to pull his rabbit form out of the small hole. "We're taking them home."

"Over your dead body!" Marianne states firmly.

"That's...that's not how the saying goes," the pooka comments. "It's not 'over your dead body', it's 'over my dead body'."

Marianne ignores the laughter emanating from behind her and she barely notices as golden-eyes widen in realization before the pooka hastily insists that he wasn't talking literally. Everything is happening too fast. One minute they are fighting for their lives and now this!

It doesn't make any sense!

"The Dark Forest castle has been destroyed and the goblins are dead and you're calling it a misunderstanding!" Marianne growls, her right-hand fisting almost painfully around her royal sword's hilt.

"Bog, Marianne!" Griselda calls, urging her dragonfly closer to her transformed son. "We got the Sacred Spring's water."

"Mom," Bog breathes, leaning his royal scepter against his shoulder to allow the dragonfly to land on his hand. "How...I thought you..."

"Takes more than that to get rid of me!" Griselda states. "Everyone got into the winter burrows before the castle collapsed. The army is ready and waiting."

Looking toward the Dark Forest, Marianne's rigid stance nearly falters from the relief rushing through her and she can't stop the tears from falling as she smiles toward her approaching subjects. She quickly scans the gathered goblins, looking for any obvious injuries but they appear unharmed and ready for battle as they uncork their bottles.

The renewed whimpering from Am Fear Liath Mor and the hellhounds makes it obvious what's contained in the vessels but she signals the army to wait. Better find out what's going on first.

"I'm confused," Dawn mutters, flying up to sit on Marianne's shoulder. "Anyone want to explain what's going on?"

"Exactly what I said. We're here to rescue the baby imp and take them back home," the pooka states.

"But Puck doesn't need rescuing because this is his home," Marianne comments, motioning to the nodding male imp sitting beside Dawn. "He's been living here for the past three months."

"Aha! So you do admit to stealing the baby imp!" the pooka crows, pointing a rabbit paw accusingly.

"We haven't stolen him!" Bog denies with a growl. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"There is no need to explain to a thief their crime," the pooka mutters, turning his back and crossing his rabbit arms.

Any cuteness the picture would normally have is ruined by the frustrating events and Marianne feels no remorse at the rabbit-pooka's look of utter fear as she points her blade against his body. Her patience has been worn through and she wanted answers. Now!

"We're not thieves and if you don't start explaining, you're going to wind up roasted rabbit dinner!" Marianne threatens.

"_Kaiden has a stubborn streak as tall as Am Fear Liath Mor. I will explain._"

Marianne looks in shock toward the larger black-furred imp sitting in her hand, barely noticing as Bog does the same. Just when she starts to think she imagined the feminine voice that appeared in her mind, the adult imp nods and blinks its black eyes before continuing.

"_I am Hermia. We imps use our magic to speak to those who cannot normally hear us,_" Hermia explains. "_As said, this is all a misunderstanding. We're not here to attack you but just to get the little one and then we'll return home to the Great Mountain._"

"I'm not going to bother pointing out that they did, in fact, attack us," Marianne comments dully, ignoring the resulting snickers from her subjects. "Instead, I'll point out that Puck has been living here for three months and you've never done anything before. How come you waited so long?"

"_We hadn't known the young one was here_," Hermia mutters sheepishly. "_It was about a week ago that we first felt the little one's magic so close to us but we couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from, so Kaiden took to searching as a favor to my clan. When Kaiden followed another spark of magic to this kingdom two days ago at dawn, he discovered you holding the young Puck before a bonfire._"

"The Sunrise Memorial," Marianne murmurs, remembering the white flower being turned pink after Puck kissed it. "We had noticed some things being...changed during the past week but they were all random acts, not something definite."

"_Young imp's magic is very erratic when it starts manifesting,_" Hermia mentions. "_Since we had only sensed the magic for the past week, we had assumed that you had recently kidnapped the little one and bound him to you with the necklace that Kaiden saw him wearing._"

"The necklace isn't a binding charm. It's a gift given to him when we adopted him, to show that he is our son," Bog explains.

"_I know that now,_" Hermia reassures. "_Puck explained to me and Cu-Sith about how you rescued him and then took care of him as your own young. But Kaiden thought it as such because when he caught up with you after trying to avoid detection, he saw the necklace on top of a sealed chest but only you and your mate were in the room._"

"The light I saw," Bog murmurs before growling, dropping the sporran chain and picking up the rabbit-pooka by the ears.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! I didn't see anything!" Kaiden denies.

"If you didn't see anything then how come you know why I'm mad?" Bog growls.

"Uhhh...this is not the proper way to hold a rabbit," Kaiden evades. "And anyway, how was I supposed to know you hadn't stolen the baby imp?"

"You could have asked!" Dawn huffs. "Seriously, all this could have been avoided if you just asked!"

"Like these simpletons would have thought of that!" Plum sneers, flying closer.

"Plum! Where have you been?" Dagda asks sharply.

"Long story but the short of it is that I noticed these idiots hanging around at the edge of the kingdom this morning, so I had to go the whole way to the Great Mountain to yell at their doltish king and now these halfwits are in a whole world of trouble!" Plum gleefully informs, her sharp teeth flashing in the sun.

"Argh! Put me down, put me down!" Kaiden screams, frantically trying to squirm away from the approaching glowing figure.


	30. Chapter 30

Plum grins sharply at the fear radiating from the other mountain fae as each expresses their discomfort at her presence and she opens her mouth to taste the sweet scent. Delicious! Seems they weren't all that ignorant to the consequences to their plan like they appeared to be.

The added taste of the powerful magic thrumming in the air nearly causes her to lose herself to the pleasurable sensations running through her but she manages to keep her wits about her...barely. It is much more intoxicating than it was during that faint hint of it she caught this morning.

Business before pleasure.

"We didn't break the geas, so please don't punish us," Kaiden pleads.

"You attack the Light Field and you have the audacity to say THAT YOU DIDN'T BREAK THE GEAS!" Plum screams. "I knew I should have thrashed you this morning instead of doing things the peaceful way! Ooh, you lot are going to wish you were never born!"

Kaiden whimpers at the rage directed toward him and covers his eyes with his rabbit paws. Why did he choose a rabbit? Any form would have been better to be stuck in instead of a small rabbit that has no chance of being able to run away fast enough. Not like he knew that amber light would keep him from being able to use his magic but still.

He squeaks his gratitude as the forest ruler takes mercy on him and releases his sore rabbit ears, tucking him against his armored chest and allowing him to burrow into the crook of his arm.

"You're too lenient," Plum grumbles as Bog covers the shivering ball of fur with a large hand.

"I'm not cruel," Bog counters. "If they truly meant no harm and were only doing what they thought was a good deed then they should be punished accordingly and not excessively. They've already paid for their trespass with their blood."

"And you called yourself a beast, you softie," Marianne teases with a smirk, ignoring the laughter from those perched on her shoulder. "What's this about a geas, Plum?"

"So sorry, it's confidential," Plum mumbles.

"Meaning she can't say what it is," Dagda comments before turning to Hermia. "Can you say what this geas is about?"

"_I can,_" Hermia confirms hesitantly as Plum turns her attention to her. "_Unlike the others, my clan and I are not entirely bound to King Dirk, so the geas that she put on him does not apply to us. I'm not sure about all it entitles but it clearly states that no subject of the King of the Great Mountain is permitted to harm any subject of the King of the Light Field, under penalty of death._"

"Death seems a bit too severe for some idiots with good intentions. Even if they did ruin Dawn's wedding day, destroyed the Dark Forest castle...," Marianne starts.

"They did what?!" Plum screeches. "You dunderheads attacked the Dark Forest as well?!"

"Wha' does it matter if they damage some lesser fae's decrepi' excuse for a hovel? Ya still cannae say that the geas is broken."

Marianne narrows her eyes as the tall newcomer walks past the nearby oak tree and onto the harvested barley field. She isn't entirely sure what kind of fae he is, though he does bear some resemblance to Bog's new form, but there's something about the blonde male that's rekindling the rage that had dwindled at the revelation of everyone's survival.

"Is it just me or does he look an awful lot like cousin Roland?" Marco questions out loud.

Yep, that would explain it. Though Roland didn't talk like that and he never carried a clay pipe between his lips.

"I can too say that the geas has been broken, Dirk, and since you not only knew about this little excursion but also gave your approval, it's all your fault!" Plum argues.

"Ah, darlin', donnae be sayin' such," King Dirk coos. "Just look. There's been nae Light Field subjec' harmed and nae true damage. If'n they attack the forest then wha's it to me?"

Before Marianne can reprimand the intruding figure, Cu-Sith walks in front of her and sits down, using its larger form to obstruct her view. She smirks as she wonders if the great dog is protecting her or its king. Both are a high possibility but she has the feeling that it is more to protect its king.

"My castle was destroyed in the attack on my kingdom and my people were put in danger but you think that there should be no repercussions for your subjects' actions?" Bog growls.

"Me business with the Light Field is nae of yer concern, forest ruler," King Dirk dismisses. "Any trouble given to ya was cause' by yer own doin'. Had ya been satisfyin' yer female and nae be lettin' her take an infant nae her own then nae of this would've been. If'n ya donnae know how to give her some sweet sweet passionate lovin' then I'll gladly show ya how."

Kaiden squeaks at the growl vibrating against his small form. He's starting to get the uneasy feeling that having King Dirk here just made everything worse for them. Hearing Cu-Sith's low groan is all the confirmation he needs to know that they are all about to die.

"Watch your mouth, Dirk, he's not just the forest ruler but he's also the next King of the Light Field," Plum warns, smirking deviously at the slight panic lacing the handsome face before her. "Attacking the Dark Forest is the same as attacking the Light Field. I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen!"

"Ah, but, darlin', i's nae me fault," King Dirk tries. "Ya cannae blame me for somethin' Ah didnae know. Ya nae told me before today."

"You're blaming me?" Plum growls.

"Ah wouldnae say that. Ah'm only sayin' that Ah shouldnae be punished for wha's nae me fault," King Dirk placates. "Ah wouldnae have been forced to leave the sweet lovin' occupyin' me own bed to sort this mess out if'n some needy female got the lovin' she requires. Ah'm sure we can come to some kind of...'arrangement'."

"If you say one more thing about my mate...," Bog starts.

"Ye'll do wha'? Afraid that she'll enjoy me lovin' more than yers?" King Dirk interrupts smugly.

"Uh-oh," Dawn murmurs before quickly grabbing both small imps beside her and flying off her sister's shoulder.

"He did it now," Sunny groans as Dawn lands beside him.

Dawn can only nod as her father joins them with Hermia. She's absolutely sure that annoying male just ruined his last chance for a painless end to this misunderstanding. It's clear that she isn't the only one thinking it as the varied fighters from both the Light Field and the Dark Forest start making bets of how long the Great Mountain king will survive.

Bets that get shorter times when Bog switches weapons with Marianne.

"Such a brute, ya are," King Dirk scoffs as Bog points the sword at him while bowing to Marianne. "If'n ya think that beatin' me with that violent thin' would impress such a beautiful female then i's a wonder how ya manage' to bed her. Ya be needin' me expertise to seduce..."

"Knock his block off!" Plum cheers enthusiastically.

"_Surely that's unwise, King Dirk is a gancanagh!_" Hermia squeaks as said king lands painfully at the base of an oak tree.

"Like that will stop Marianne!" Griselda cackles.

"Wha' was that?" King Dirk moans, blinking up to the sky in shock.

"The better question is how many times do I get to hit you with this before you pass out?" Marianne growls as she stalks closer. "My sister's wedding day has been ruined, the lives of my people have been threatened, my home has been destroyed, and I'm holding you PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE!"

"Now, darlin', there's nae need to...Donnae hurt the jewels!" King Dirk screams.

Cu-Sith cringes as King Dirk barely manages to avoid the downward strike aimed for his lap before having to scramble away from another attack. It had told them that the forest ruler was a fierce feisty thing but they hadn't believed its' words, reasoning that all they had to do was keep the iron water from being used. The plan of sending Hermia in to retrieve the baby imp would have been a much less painful one.

Heaving a sigh, it walks over to its companions to help the other dogs lick their wounds and lets the grateful Am Fear Liath Mor hide his hurting eyes away from the binding light in its thick shaggy fur. They pay no attention to their king's pleas for help as he frantically tries to escape the enraged female.

"Ouch, that's gotta hurt," Kaiden mutters with a wince before turning golden eyes upward to the grinning face above him. "Aren't you going to stop her?"

"She'll stop when she's ready to. It's been a stressful day, after all, and your king should have kept his mouth shut," Bog chuckles.


	31. Chapter 31

Landing where the bridge to the castle courtyard once connected to, Marianne smiles at the scene before her as the Dark Forest inhabitants dance and sing around the Lughnasa bonfires with enthusiasm. The songs for celebrating life resonate through her and she raises her face to the night sky with a deep sigh, fluttering her purple black-tipped wings.

After the day they've had, only a fool wouldn't celebrate being alive.

"Feeling better?" Bog questions as he walks toward her.

"Yes but you shouldn't have let me slept so long," Marianne murmurs.

"You needed your sleep," he counters.

"But I missed the start of the festival," she argues.

"No, you didn't. We only lit the bonfires but no one wanted to start the true celebrations without their queen," Bog explains, running his clawed hand through her hair. "It's also why you're here instead of back in the Light Field because everyone refused to come home without you."

"I was wondering why I woke up in the winter burrows instead of my old bedchamber," Marianne mentions, adjusting her hold on her groggy son to keep Goodfellow from dropping from his loose grip. "So what happened? The last thing I remember, I was hitting that aggravating King Dirk until he was cowering very nicely and then I wake up in our winter bedchambers with Puck curled beside me. And back to normal, I might add."

"It's kind of hard to explain," he murmurs. "It seemed that whatever was keeping us spelled had worn off with the danger passing and we both shrunk back to our normal selves but you had...well, not fainted or passed out but more that you had just fallen asleep where you stood. I caught you before you fell to the ground and Plum assured that you were only sleeping out of exhaustion. She even checked the infant and said everything is fine."

She breathes a sigh of relief at that. It had crossed her mind several times as she was evading the mountain fae that she might have been overexerting herself and she couldn't help the flash of fear when she awoke in the bedchambers.

"And from there? What happened next?" she prods.

"Nothing much. Plum told the mountain fae to go back to the Great Mountain and that she'd contact King Dirk when we are ready to discuss the repercussions of his people's attack. The festival grounds were damaged from the fight but it didn't stop the Lammas party from restarting and we all returned home," Bog answers. "Oh, and your father said that he's going to come here to check on you after the Lammas party is finished."

"So there's no other explanation other than the fact that an irresponsible king didn't care about his own subjects until Plum threatened him with a broken geas? That's annoying," Marianne grumbles.

"Don't be too annoyed, my queen, we need to start the Lughnasa festival," he chuckles.

Marianne accepts the offered kiss and hums in delight as her husband hugs her to him. They both chuckle as Puck chitters his complaint at being squashed between them, though he refuses to move, even when Goodfellow falls to the ground.

"How did Goodfellow survive the castle's destruction?" Marianne questions as Bog bends to retrieve the fallen toy. "I could have sworn it was left on our bed this morning."

"It was left on our bed," Bog confirms, handing the goblin doll to the grateful Puck. "Puck was heartbroken when he realized that Goodfellow wouldn't have been able to survive but Thang is dutiful and loyal, to the point of doing something extremely foolhardy. Something like running to the royal bedchambers to rescue his prince's beloved toy and barely being able to make it to the winter burrow's castle entrance before the castle started to collapse."

"He did what! Is Thang okay?" she asks worriedly.

"Stuff may have bruised him a little with her tight hugs but Thang is fine," he reassures, nodding towards the pair near the bonfire. "They tried suggesting about reporting for their duties in the morning because of the circumstances but I told them that they are to have the next few days off and that was that."

"Definitely. They and the other new mates deserve their time together and this mess isn't interrupting that," Marianne comments before sighing. "Speaking of which, what are we going to do about there being another clan of imps? I mean, the responsible thing to do is to have Puck live with his own kind..."

Puck screeches at the words and crawls up to rub his face against his mother's neck, not bothering to stop the tears falling from his eyes. He didn't want to leave! They couldn't abandon him!

"I said it was the responsible thing, I didn't say that I wanted to," Marianne murmurs, hugging the little imp tighter. "We're so different, though. Don't you think it would be better for you to be around those that are more like you and could give you the care that you really need?"

Puck shakes his head repeatedly, wrapping his tail tightly around both hands against his back and turning pleading eyes to his father. They protected him and cared for him before they even really knew him. And after all the trouble he caused, too! It doesn't matter to him if they're different. That's what he likes!

"If you're sure...," Bog starts, getting a trill and a fierce nod. "In that case, we should talk to Hermia and see if an adult imp will be willing to come here to tutor us on everything a young imp needs."

"Hermia is still here?" Marianne asks.

Puck gives a whimpering sigh as his father nods, letting his ears droop as he holds the back of one hand against his forehead and holding Goodfellow close to his heart with the other. He had hoped that they would have left while he was taking a nap. Such a tragic death his expectations died.

"Aren't you being a little dramatic?" Marianne giggles, adjusting her hold again to keep from dropping her suddenly boneless son. "What's the matter with Hermia?"

"I think it's more of Hermia's seven-winters-old daughter, Lysandra, that Puck has a problem with," Bog laughs. "When Cu-Sith confronted the group heading to the palace, Puck escaped your father's hold and growled at it, then attacked Hermia when she tried to 'rescue' him."

"Were you trying to protect everyone? My brave little prince!" Marianne coos, trying not to giggle as Puck assumes a regal posture befitting a proud royal.

"Lysandra was so impressed by Puck's bravery that she came out of hiding to hug and kiss him, declaring that he is going to be her mate when they grow up," Bog continues, smirking as Puck returns to his dramatic posture with a distressed howl.


	32. Chapter 32

"Was it really that bad when I passed out?" Marianne asks quietly after what felt like the hundredth goblin questions her health.

"It scared us all," Griselda admits. "If it wasn't for Plum's quick action to check you over and assure us you were fine, those mountain fae would have been dealing with a very angry army."

"_Even King Dirk had seen his life flashing before him,_" Hermia murmurs. "_You love your people a very great deal and it's clear that the affection is returned in equal fervor._"

Marianne returns the toothy smile before gratefully accepting a plate of food from Nex. This time the concerned question is joined by an apology for the missing special pastry and she quickly reassures the distressed chef. No matter how good the honey and blackberry jam cake is, it's not something that he needs to be angry with himself for not having even if circumstances were different.

Especially with how much food the Dark Forest subjects seem to want to lavish on their rulers.

As soon as the blessings were given and the mateship ceremony ended, they had started approaching her with their concerned questions and handing her dishes filled with various items. She's almost positive that every member of every village made a contribution to replace the festival food lost in the attack. Not that Puck has any complaint as she offers him the newest selection of food before adding the plate to the crowded table in front of her.

"You are getting a bath before bed," Marianne mutters in warning, eyeing the juice stains on her son's white fur.

Puck pauses in his eating at the threat before looking himself over. Mommy is right, he is eating a little messily but that was only because he's so hungry. The last thing he had was a snack Daddy got him before those big bullies showed up. Good thing he gave Goodfellow to Mommy to hold or it'd have to get a bath too.

"I had noticed that the castle entrance to the winter burrows has been reinforced, was there any damage to the closer chambers?" Marianne questions after Elder Waylay approaches with another plate of food.

"None, Your Majesty," Elder Waylay answers. "We had each of the chambers checked as soon it was safe and everything is sound. Some things had to be returned to the shelves they had fallen off of and a few casks had burst from the tremors but other than that all the items within the closer chambers are okay as well."

"And don't worry about the castle," Griselda mentions. "Before I left with all the able fighters, I ordered those left behind to attend to it and they managed to stop it from burning any further before diverting the water away from the rubble, so whatever wasn't damaged too much should be salvageable come morning."

"We already have groups organized to start as soon as the sun rises enough to see," Elder Waylay informs before bowing and leaving.

"We got some busy days ahead of us but thank the spirits that no one was harmed," Marianne murmurs.

"I wouldn't say that no one was harmed," Griselda chuckles. "One of the Cwn Annwn couldn't even walk on its hind leg, another was limping on its front leg, and the third one couldn't walk straight. That's not counting Am Fear Liath Mor's burned hand and Black Shuck's hurting back."

"Is it wrong if I said they deserved it?" Marianne asks.

"_Not at all. Even though they were only doing such so as to cause a distraction, you didn't know that they weren't going to harm anyone and fully believed the attack was real,_" Hermia comments, eating an offered blackberry while tugging her daughter's tail to pull her back away from Puck. "_Besides, you didn't even hurt them that badly. They'll all be healed within a week. I can't say the same for King Dirk's pride, though._"

"He's lucky he didn't get worse," Griselda remarks before noticing Bog approaching. "What did the guards report, Bog?"

"The Placid Swamp envoy gave them no trouble. In fact, they were trying to get back to their kingdom faster than the guards could guide them. Leechan was a bit concerned about their behavior but Gort thinks that they're only acting out of fear," Bog answers, sitting down beside Marianne.

"Little cowards!" Griselda cackles. "One good thing to come out of this whole mess is that I'm positive that we'll never have any more trouble with those Placid Swamp goblins ever again, not after what they saw you two do."

"Wait. You brought them with you to the Light Field?" Marianne questions Griselda in shock.

"Yep," Griselda answers smugly. "Mostly because I didn't trust to leave them here with so few to keep an eye on them. We got to the border just as that bright amber light blasted away the fog. They were quivering little grubs before Black Shuck even showed up thanks to all the stories the elders were gladly telling them and then they had to be carried down to the winter burrow when I had Stuff sound the alarm because they were practically frozen out of fear, but when they were told that it was you two who were fighting the group of mountain fae...well, let's just say Black Shuck smelled nicer."

"Ugh! I'm glad I never got the pleasure of meeting them," Marianne groans. "Did you find out what caused them to show up this morning?"

"Some of their patrolling guards overheard portions of yours and Bog's fight from the war game being retold and they thought that there was a civil war in the Dark Forest and that Bog had been overthrown. They were probably hoping that they'd be able to trick the new king but instead found out much worse," Griselda chuckles.

"Don't think that I'm not still mad at you for not telling me about them when you arrived at the Light Field palace, Mother, because I am and we're going to have a long talk tomorrow," Bog grumbles.

"You would have done the same thing to Marianne had they showed up before you left to go to the Light Field. Don't think of denying it!" Griselda warns as he opens his mouth and smirking as Bog looks away guiltily. "They took my mate and one son from me and I wasn't about to let them take you as well."

"It's not like we took that big a risk, Sire," Lyla soothes as Adder hands a basket of sweet rolls to Marianne. "Everyone was on the alert for a sneak attack and all non-fighters were evacuated to the winter burrows as a precaution."

"Precisely! And in a way, we wouldn't have been prepared when Black Shuck arrived if it wasn't for them," Griselda continues. "Now quit griping at your poor helpless old mother and hand me some of those delicious rolls."


	33. Chapter 33

The Dark Forest children ignore their usual games of testing the adults' observation skill and gleefully chase the prancing golden-eyed black-furred cat around the small clearing, each trying to get a turn at riding the shapeshifting creature. Kaiden is clearly enjoying the attention as he gives his next passengers a wild ride.

"_He's going to wear himself out,_" Hermia sighs. "_Would you be willing to offer us shelter for the night? I doubt Kaiden will be able to take us home once he's through playing._"

"No problem," Marianne chuckles. "With any luck, he won't be the only one tired. Did you get the information you wanted?"

"_Yes. Griselda sufficiently answered my questions of the little one's care and I don't think any of my clan will protest your adoption,_" Hermia reassures before laying her black-furred white-tipped ears back. "_There is one more thing, though. But you've had such a stressful day and it can wait until tomorrow._"

"They won't mind. Go ahead and ask them now," Griselda encourages.

"Ask us what?" Bog questions.

"_Is there a place in your kingdom for imps?_" Hermia asks.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Bog and I were planning on asking you if one of your own would be willing to come here to help us with raising Puck," Marianne mentions.

"_I don't mean just me and my own kin but the other imps in the Great Mountain as well,_" Hermia murmurs. "_You see, as prosperous as the Great Mountain is, it's dangerous. Almost all the other creatures that live there are so much bigger than we imps and much more so compared to our little ones. That doesn't include certain dangerous inhabitants that even we adults try to avoid as much as possible._"

"We'd have to look into everything needed for the change but I don't see a reason to say no. Provided that you'll obey the laws of the Dark Forest," Bog states.

Hermia gives a fierce nod before trilling happily. It is such good news. Despite the dangers Griselda had informed her about the Dark Forest, it would be a far safer home than the Great Mountain. Predatory animals are nothing compared to the larger fae. She quickly tells the news to her daughter when the younger imps abandon playing with the others to run over and investigate.

"Your welcome!" Marianne laughs as Lysandra jumps up to give both Bog and her a hug. "This means that you're going to have to behave, though. No more tormenting Puck."

Puck crosses his arms and nods repeatedly before squealing as Lysandra hugs him tightly. Turning pleading eyes to his parents do no good. They're obviously not that concerned if their amused looks are anything to go by. He heaves a sigh at his bad luck and pats Lysandra's head, refusing to return the hug. Females are bothersome. At least she's not kissing...ARGH!

Lysandra giggles at Puck's growl, giving him another kiss before pushing him and running away with him in angry pursuit. This is so much fun!

Marianne joins Bog's laughter as their son chases his tormentor back to where the other children are playing. There's a bit of worry at the snarls and nips when he manages to catch the other imp but Puck quickly shows he's only playing when he stops and comforts Lysandra when she starts crying. The tears only last a short time before the little female is ready to play again, this time pouncing on Puck.

"We're going to have to check the maps to see which areas would be safe to put such active young," Griselda chuckles.

"I can ask Dad about offering shelter in the Light Field as well," Marianne comments.

"No time like the present," Dagda remarks, walking closer.

Marianne hums as her father envelops her in a hug and places a kiss on her forehead. She can feel the urge to hold him tighter when he pulls back but she forces herself to let him go. It's the same desire she had felt when she and Bog had joined the others around the Lughnasa bonfires and she found herself in Griselda's firm embrace. She can't help wanting to keep them with her a little longer, not after nearly losing both of them today.

"Now, what's this about offering shelter and to whom?" Dagda questions after Marianne reassures his accompanying guards of her wellbeing.

"The imps of the Great Mountain want to leave that kingdom because of the larger denizens but they stopped looking after the last scouting party never returned," Griselda explains. "I told Hermia that there shouldn't be any problem with having more imps here."

"I don't see why there should be any problem," Dagda murmurs. "It might be best to have a council meeting between both kingdoms to make sure we can support a larger amount of denizens and where to place them. Bog?"

"I agree but there's going to be a lot of work for us to do for the next few weeks. Not only do we have to clean up this mess but we also have the meetings with two different idiot kings," Bog comments, smirking at the laughter.

"_It's alright. There's no need to make decisions or arrangements right now,_" Hermia reassures. "_We still have three months before we imps start to hibernate for the winter, after all, and even if you don't make a decision this year, we won't cause a fuss._"

"I'm sure it won't take us that long to figure out where to put you all," Dagda chuckles. "It might help if we have an idea of how many of you there are and what you need but we can discuss that tomorrow if you're willing to stay the night."

"_We're not going to have much choice but stay the night,_" Hermia giggles, pointing to the yawning cat-pooka. "_The young ones managed to tire even the energetic Kaiden._"

"In my defense, I've had a busy week," Kaiden mutters as he approaches before curling up next to the nervous squirrel mounts.

"A week that would have been less busy had you asked Plum two days ago instead of going through all that trouble to keep her from noticing your presence until you flew away," Dagda points out.

"Don't remind me. King Dirk is going to blame this whole mess on me, I just know it," Kaiden groans.

"_He probably will,_" Hermia agrees.

"That's hardly just," Marianne comments. "Didn't Plum say that King Dirk knew what you were doing and gave his approval? Therefore, he is as guilty as the rest of you, if not more so since he is your king. It's his responsibility to deal with any matters concerning the other kingdoms."

"That's not how it works in the Great Mountain. Each denizen is responsible for their own actions and as long as it doesn't disturb them, the royal family doesn't care what happens. We wouldn't even have had to inform the king at all if it wasn't for having to venture so close to the Light Field," Kaiden explains. "Of course, we weren't actually supposed to step foot into the Light Field, what with the geas and all, but when we noticed that Lady Aura had left and that you were staying a long time in the Light Field, we figured that it'd be easier to free the baby imp there instead of waiting for nightfall to enter the forest."

"I suggest that you don't call Plum by that name within her hearing distance if you want to live long," Dagda warns. "She stopped going by Aura decades ago and she might not abide by Marianne and Bog's leniency if you bring it up. In fact, you just might bring back those bloodthirsty tendencies she used to have."

"Dad!" Marianne scolds softly as Hermia looks around apprehensively and Kaiden's golden eyes widen in fear before disappearing in a shivering ball of black fur.

"Just saying," Dagda defends unrepentantly before sighing. "Marianne, we need to talk. Alone."


	34. Chapter 34

Marianne sighs as she finishes rinsing out Puck's fur before rising out of the washing basin with the sleepy child. Just when she thought things were finally settling down, something more had to be added to her already long list of things to deal with.

"Still thinking about what Dagda said?" Bog questions.

"Hard not to," Marianne answers, drying herself and Puck. "How would you react if you found out something like this?"

"A lot worse," he admits with a chuckle.

"I just don't know what to think," she murmurs. "Dawn and I know so little about Mom. She never talked about her life before she came to the Light Field. She never talked about when she was growing up or about any family. All we know is that she arrived in the Light Field with a group of travelers a few weeks before Lammas and stayed behind when the travelers left because she and Dad started courting. She never even...are you okay, Bog?"

"Fine, fine!" Bog coughs, setting himself right before leaving the washing basin.

"Were you falling asleep?" Marianne asks, trying and failing to stop her giggles.

"No!" he answers petulantly, scrunching his nose and turning away from her to hide his blush. "I slipped."

Marianne bites her lip to muffle her laughter at his childish behavior. She knows him better than that. He was definitely falling asleep and doesn't want to admit it.

Silly male. It's nothing for him to be ashamed about and it would be surprising if he could keep awake for much longer.

"As you were saying," Bog leads.

"We can talk tomorrow. It's been a very long day," she tries, wrapping the blue spider silk dressing gown around her form.

"And you'll be awake most the night if you don't talk it out," he counters.

"Doubt it. Despite that nap, I'm tired enough to sleep until mid-day," Marianne remarks.

"Not surprising considering what your father revealed," Bog murmurs, hugging her from behind.

"You're still damp," she chides softly, leaning back into his embrace with a content smile.

"I'll dry," he chuckles. "Now, I didn't nearly get into a fight with Dagda just to let you worry and I'm not letting you go until you're feeling better."

Marianne laughs slightly at the reminder. Her father's suggestion of them talking alone had gotten instant protests from both Bog and Griselda. No amount of arguing worked and the elder king was forced to agree to include the goblin royals in the private conversation. Something that Marianne was grateful for once the reason for secrecy was known.

Another sigh escapes her lips as her mind replays her father's concern and her shock. A few hours later and she still can hardly believe that it's true. It seems impossible but she has no reason to doubt her father or Plum.

"It's a lot to take in. You heard what Dad said, I'm dangerous," Marianne mutters.

"You've always been dangerous, my feisty fairy female," Bog remarks fondly.

"Be serious!" she growls in frustration, leaving his embrace.

"I am being serious. This doesn't change anything," he comments.

"What if it happens again? What if something worse happens?" Marianne frets. "If even Plum is afraid of me, then how's everyone else going to react when they find out?"

"That's not what your father said. He said that Plum is just being cautious since she doesn't want to tempt temptation," Bog corrects before smirking. "I, for one, can understand her reasoning. You are very delicious and so very intoxicating, such an irresistible delicacy."

It's a wonder how she can still manage to blush after nine months of being married to him. Only Puck's sleepy yawn before curling tighter against her keeps her from giving in to the heat swimming in her husband's blue eyes. She mentally shushes the pang of desire flooding through her and turns to leave.

"Behave," Marianne chides.

The dark chuckling following her out of the winter burrow's washing chambers make it clear that her reaction to his lingering and roving gaze didn't go unnoticed. She's starting to think that the more Bog finds out about how dangerous and chaotic she is, the more he desires her.

"Probably," she chuckles under breath.

He wasn't concerned at all when her father revealed that the amber light was caused by her and that she was the one who transformed them and blocked the mountain fae's magic, only worrying about Plum's concern for her overusing her new magic and exhausting herself. Even Griselda had taken the news calmly and only fussed to make sure that she was okay.

"Besides, your father also said that he'll talk to Plum about training you in the magic you inherited from your mother, so there's nothing for you to worry about," Bog continues once he catches up to her.

"But I didn't even realize that I was using magic until Dad said that was me, so what if...oh, maybe I just need some sleep!" Marianne sighs.

"Good idea. It has been a very busy day and things will be easier to deal with in the morning," he murmurs. "We still got busy days ahead of us but we'll get through them together."

"Together," she agrees with a hum before turning her head to glare at her husband. "Don't think I've forgotten what you had planned on doing before my hidden magic manifested. You will never, EVER, think of doing something like that again! I don't care if it's noble. You will not sacrifice yourself like that."

"If it means to protect you and our people, I will," Bog states firmly. "Just like you yourself thought to do on both Samhain and Imbolc, as well as during Beltane to protect Tab and today when you stayed with the others instead of fleeing to the palace. Would you scold me for following my heart as well?"

"No," Marianne admits begrudgingly. "It's just...well, we thought that those of the Dark Forest were dead and all I could think was that I was going to lose you too. I was so scared."

"So was I," he murmurs, moving aside the curtain to their bedchambers to allow her through. "Everything seemed so hopeless and maybe that's why the magic came to you. Maybe it needed a reason to manifest."

Marianne gives her agreement as she opens the traveling trunk her father brought with him and pulls out a nightgown. She's grateful Dawn thought to inform the seamstress of the present state of her wardrobe, that being at the bottom of a ravine under a pile of rubble. She hadn't even thought anything of it herself until her father presented the traveling trunk before he returned home.

There's a bit of trouble trying to get the clinging Puck to let go long enough for her to dress but the young male settles down when Marianne gives a soft rebuke and hands him to Bog. His sulking doesn't last long under the weight of his sleepiness and he curls up with Goodfellow against the carapaced chest instead.

"What's on the schedule for tomorrow?" Marianne questions.

"For you, nothing. You're going to rest for the next few days just as Dagda ordered and no arguments," Bog informs.

"Plum might be right about magical exhaustion because I don't even feel like arguing at the moment," she comments, crawling underneath the moss blankets and laying with her back against him. "What about the meeting with the Placid Swamp?"

"That's still three days away," he reminds. "Hopefully by then this heat will lessen and the mushrooms will be able to return to their scouting positions."

"Maybe the imps could help with the scouting, to fill in when the mushrooms are forced to return to the caves whenever it's too hot or too cold for them," Marianne suggests. "If an adult is anywhere near as fast and silent as Puck is when he's playing then they would make great scouts for both the kingdoms."

"We'll ask Hermia in the morning and see what she thinks. It does sound like a very good idea, though," Bog murmurs.

Marianne hums contently as Bog curls around her and hugs her tighter against him after placing Puck in front of her. Such a perfect ending to a chaotic day. Despite what is still messed up, everything important is safe. Her people, her family, her husband, and her children are all okay. They're even going to be adding more denizens to the kingdom.

She can't help the soft giggle at thinking about Lysandra and her father's comment about the young female's determination at Puck being her mate. Probably not a good idea to tell Puck that Dawn had said the same thing to Sunny when Plum first brought the young elf to the palace. After all, look how that turned out.

Marianne smiles wider as she feels both her husband, her son, and her unborn infant shift. Strange how everything turned out. Nine months ago, she and Bog were married and their kingdoms buried old hatreds. Six months ago, they found out that she was pregnant and also confessed their love for each other. Three months ago, Puck came into their life and Dawn realized her love for Sunny. Today was so hectic that it's hard for her to see what came out of today other than finding out that their son isn't the only imp around, which she really needs to talk to Plum about since there's no way she didn't know about that.

Well, at least no one was kidnapped this time, so they're making progress.

"Maybe we should cancel all festival plans for Samhain this year. Just to be on the safe side," Marianne muses out loud.

"What could happen?" Bog mumbles groggily.

She feels no remorse at her husband's pained yelp as she slams her elbow into his torso. He just had to jinx them.

**Tea Blend.**

**In Bog's defense, he's more asleep than awake.**

* * *

**You know the creepiest part of writing this and Wild Heart? My Border Terrier/Foxhound's eyeshine is blue, gold, green, or red depending on how his head is turned to the light and he patrols the house in the middle of the night. Imagine a darkened room where I have all lights turned off except my laptop because I just want to write a little bit more before going to bed and I look up to see eyeshine in the nightlight-lit hallway and adrenaline kicks in before I remind myself that it's just my ten-year-old dog (who I became the owner of ten Halloweens ago).**


End file.
